Capital Pursuits
by Cherylann Rivers
Summary: The Hardys attempt to relax in Washington, DC on vacation before Frank heads off to college. What they find there is their most complicated mystery to date! New relationships form while old ones are questioned...
1. Chapter 1

_Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to leave me such kind words on my last stories. This story is the last one in my little 'mini-series' of "Make a Wish," "Classified Secrets" and "Where Troubles Melt." Until "Fire and Ice," it was also my favorite—so I hope that you enjoy it as well! You do not need to read any of the others in order to understand this one—just some scenes are alluded to. The storyis completed and is 30 chapters long. I will update in a timely fashion. Hope ya like it!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 1

"Frank! Heads up!"

Eighteen- year old Frank Hardy had only seconds to turn around as the football came flying towards him and slammed into the back of his neck.

"Ow!" Frank complained, immediately reaching back to rub the sore spot on his neck. He shot his brother, Joe, who was a year younger, a dirty look.

He had been innocently sitting on the lawn in his backyard getting ready to set-up a makeshift picnic for him, his girlfriend, Callie, Joe, and Joe's girlfriend, Vanessa. It was a beautiful summer day, and he had been all set to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Recently, he and Joe had finished solving another case, and he was finally ready to set aside all investigative work and have a great summer before heading to Princeton University in the fall. He wanted to spend as much time relaxing as was humanly possible.

All of a sudden, he heard laughter in the distance, as he watched his brother try to suppress a smile. Vanessa, with whom Joe had been tossing the football, covered her mouth as well.

"What's so funny?" he asked again, rolling his neck back to loosen it up. Already, he could feel it begin to stiffen.

"Are you okay, Frank?" Vanessa finally had the presence of mind to ask.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks for asking, Vanessa. It's more than _some_ people would do," Frank added, staring pointedly at his brother.

Finally, Joe couldn't help it. He burst out laughing, and then jogged over to his older brother and plopped down next to him. "Frank," he said with a smile, "You DO know that "heads up" means "watch out", right? I mean, you're not really supposed to put your head up!" Joe's blue eyes twinkled as he teased his brother

Frank blushed. "Well, next time, just say 'watch out', then," he finally conceded.

"Sure thing, big brother," Joe said, patting his brother on the back. "But now, I think we could use more soda."

Frank stared at the ground and noticed what his brother was referring to. After the football had hit Frank, it had bounced over and made the cups of soda, which Frank had just finished setting out, its next target.

"I think you ought to go and get the napkins," he said at last to Joe. "I mean, this is YOUR fault."

"No, it's not. It's Vanessa's. SHE didn't catch the football." He glanced over at Vanessa and gave her a quick wink. He knew that Vanessa would realize he was only kidding. Somehow, being around his tall, pretty blonde girlfriend always put him in a more relaxed mood. Very few people knew how to take his sense of humor all of the time. Vanessa, fortunately, did.

"Oh, really, Joe Hardy? I think all that detective work has finally gotten to you and you've lost your mind." She grinned at him. "However, I will assist you in getting the napkins—and more soda, too, from the looks of it." She stood up, and offered Joe her hand. "Coming?"

Joe laughed. "You need assistance with napkins and soda? Geez!" he replied. "Women-- look how weak they are!"

That got a good punch on the arm from Vanessa.

"Hey!" he protested.

Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "Come along, Joseph. I was going to say that YOU need assistance with the supplies. I'll supervise," she said, with a smug smile. "After all, poor little old weak me might not be able to handle such a big project."

Frank laughed, as Joe groaned. "I guess I'll be back in a few minutes, then," he said to Frank, and followed Vanessa into the house.

On the way in, Joe and Vanessa bumped into Callie, who was making her way outside, carrying sandwiches on a plate.

"Mmmmm," Joe said, grabbing for one. Callie instantly smacked his hand away with a playful shove.

"Not yet, buddy," she said with a smile. "If Frank and I can wait, you can, too! Why are you coming inside, anyway?" she asked.

"Long story," Vanessa said with a wink, and continued into the kitchen with Joe.

Callie ventured outside, and placed the sandwich platter on the picnic blanket on the ground. Then, she turned to her boyfriend. "Hey, handsome," she said to him with a smile as she sat down next to him.

Frank put an arm around her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Hey, beautiful," he replied, and pulled her into a hug. He held her a moment longer than necessary, and took an instant to appreciate the time. He and Callie had been together for almost four years, and had been through a lot together. Recently, she had been very ill, but fortunately, she was going to be all right. Despite her fatigue and daily radiation treatments for cancer, Callie remained positive and upbeat, never letting her illness slow her down. He knew it would be months before she would be totally cured, but she _would_ be, and that was the best news he could ever think of. She was looking healthier and more beautiful every day, and he couldn't imagine being without her. It was that thought that brought him back to reality.

Releasing Callie, he asked her, "So, have you decided what college you're going to yet?" He knew Callie had been seriously considering going to Stanford, and secretly Frank was hoping she wouldn't go there, since it was all the way across the country from Princeton.

Callie sighed, but smiled, as she helped Frank spread out the dishes and the silverware. She was about to respond when she noticed the sticky spot on the blanket. "What happened to the soda and the blanket?" she asked him.

"Joe happened to it," Frank said, rolling his eyes as he related the story to her.

Callie laughed as she listened to Frank. "Well that explains it!" she giggled. "Poor baby! Are you okay?" she asked him, teasingly.

"I'll make it," Frank replied.

"That's good to know," Callie responded, laughing. "Anyway, about college…"

"What about college?" Joe asked, as he plopped next to Frank and Callie, carrying soda and napkins. Vanessa sat down next to him.

"See what he can do under direct instruction and supervision?" Vanessa said, feigning seriousness.

"Yeah, he's trainable. Like a dog," Frank replied equally seriously.

"Hey!" Joe again protested. "Your mockery- it hurts me. Doesn't anyone care about my feelings?!" he asked, pretending to be offended.

"No!" The group responded simultaneously, and then dissolved into laughter.

Joe sighed, accepting their teasing. He was trying to appreciate every moment he had left with his brother and friends before Frank and Callie went off to college.

"So, Cal? What is it? I think Hawaii is a nice choice for college," he said to her, as he dug into potato chips,

"You just want to get rid of me!" Callie said.

"Well…" Joe teased her.

Callie tossed some chips at him playfully, and then became more thoughtful. "I don't know," she mused. "I have a lot of options. Wherever I go, I'd have to find a doctor locally—at least, for a few months."

Joe nodded. That was nothing to tease Callie about. In their last case, he had learned what a remarkably strong person she was and, although he loved to joke around with her, and they certainly could get on each other's nerves, he would always support her, especially when it came to her health.

Then, Callie grinned. "A doctor, Joe. For my illness, NOT my pregnancy," she said with a twinkle in her soft brown eyes. "My car is looking great these days, by the way. Thanks!"

"Mine, too," Frank added with a smile, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Joe groaned, recalling the serious communication problem he had with Callie and Frank on their last case, which resulted in his making amends to them by washing their cars all the time. THAT was one thing he wouldn't miss when they went away to school. "Point made," he said at last.

"You know," Callie continued, "There are a few schools that I am considering, though, around here. I think I want to do something with reporting or writing or … law, even… and there are several schools in the D.C. area that I'd like to check out."

Frank couldn't help but to smile, thinking that Callie might stay relatively close to him. They hadn't really discussed what they would do if they went to different colleges, although Frank knew he wanted to do his best to stay together with Callie. _Scratch that_, he thought to himself. _I WILL stay together with her_. Turning to her, he asked, "Oh, yeah?" trying to sound nonchalant. "Which ones?"

"I don't know," Callie said. "I've been accepted to Georgetown and American. It's too bad I haven't had a chance to check them out, yet," she added.

Frank was surprised. "Cal! What other schools have you been accepted to?!" He couldn't believe it. Callie was very smart, and once in a while she'd mention a top school that she'd been accepted to. It seemed like everywhere she applied, she got in.

"Hmmm…" Callie said, eyes sparkling. "It's a secret," she laughed.

"Why?" Vanessa interjected.

"Why is it a secret?" Callie asked. "It's not, really. I was just kidding. BUT…" she paused, "I WOULD like to check out some of those schools."

"So why don't we?" Joe asked. "I mean, come on! It's summer vacation!!! Washington D.C. is supposed to be great for its parks, its clubs, and its sports arenas," he said.

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "And its colleges, government institutions, and museums," she cut in.

Joe smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, that too, I guess."

Frank laughed at his brother. "Well," he began, addressing the group. "Joe's actually right about something. Why DON'T we go? We can stay for a week or so and check out the sites. There are a lot of museums I'd like to see," he said, thoughtfully.

"And I can see the colleges!" Callie added.

"And I can check out the sports facilities!" Joe smiled.

Vanessa stared at Joe and shook her head, and then turned to the group. "And I can check out the guys!" she said.

"Whatever!" Joe said, taken aback. Then, he squinted at her. "You're gonna pay for that!" he said, and reached out to grab her. Vanessa, laughing, cried out, "I don't think so!" and began to run away from him. Frank and Callie laughed as they watched Joe chase his girlfriend.

"So, you really want to do this?!" Callie asked, turning to Frank.

"Yeah, I really do," he said with a smile, and leaned over to give her a kiss.

"Well, we're off to Washington, D.C., then," Callie said softly to him, giving him a quick hug. "IF we can catch Joe!"

Frank and Callie smiled as they heard Joe and Vanessa dissolve into laughter in the distance.

"Here's to a successful trip," Frank said to Callie, tipping his soda glass to hers.

"Cheers!" she responded.

Together, they began to plan their trip.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks so much for those of you who left reviews! _

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 2

Several days later, Frank, Callie, Vanessa, and Joe found themselves in Washington, D.C. After settling into their hotel rooms, they all sat down and tried to decide where to go.

"I think it would be nice to see some museums," Frank said, a little too innocently.

Callie glanced in his direction, and held back a smile. "I think that's a great idea, Frank," she responded. She turned to Vanessa and added, "Gee, Van, where should we take the men? The Fashion Institutes? The Museum on Women's History?"

Vanessa, playing along, added seriously, "I hear there's a display of the gowns that the Presidents' wives have worn going on around Pennsylvania Ave., near the White House."

Frank and Joe looked at each other in panic. "I, um, was kind of thinking something different," Frank said at last.

Callie laughed. "I know you're dying to go the National Air and Space Museum, Frank," she said. "But I wish you'd come out and say it, already! Enough with the hints. There's plenty of time to do everything and, since it's the weekend, the colleges are closed. You'll have the pleasure of my company!"

Frank blushed. "Well, it _is _an interesting museum, Cal," Frank said, thinking of how he couldn't wait to get a look at the planes, one of his passions.

Callie winked, and replied, "I know. I'm just teasing you. That's fine with me."

Joe groaned, audibly. They all turned to look at him.

"Dare I ask?" Vanessa questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"It's just that it's such a gorgeous day, guys! I mean, why can't we stay outside, have a picnic, throw around the Frisbee, go swimming- something! I don't think it'll be much fun to be cooped up all day in a museum. Right?" He gave Vanessa puppy-dog eyes, and she just shook her head.

"You know, Joe, doing something educational once in a while wouldn't kill you. Besides," she added, noting that Joe did look kind of bummed out about being indoors, "there are lots of interesting things in museums. AND, we don't have to stay in them all day- they're right on the mall."

Joe felt his eyes grow wide. This was worse than he thought! "The MALL?!" he cried. "I don't want to go … shopping. Yuck!" He shuddered at the thought.

"You did NOT just say that, Joe," Frank said to his brother in disbelief.

"Yeah, I think he did," Vanessa said, joining Frank in his laughter.

Joe felt his face grow red. He hated being laughed at, especially when he had no idea what was so funny. Callie noticed that Joe was getting perturbed, and didn't join in the teasing. Instead, she spoke up. "You know, guys," she said, matter-of-factly. "A lot of people don't know what the Mall is, and I don't think it's nice to make fun of Joe."

Joe couldn't believe his ears! Callie was sticking up for him?!

"Joe," Callie said, turning to him, "The Mall is a really large, pretty area outside. Most of the museums are on the right and left- hand sides of it. At one end is basically the Capitol building, and the other end is the Washington Monument. And you know what?! I think it would be _lovely _to spend some time outside. As a matter of fact, why don't we meet up with Frank and Vanessa for dinner, _after _they've covered that museum, and we'll … oh, I don't know…go to the parks." Callie had no idea WHY she was defending Joe, but they HAD gotten a lot closer in recent months. Besides, she really did think that Frank and Vanessa had been out of line that time. Joe was far from stupid.

Joe held back laughter as he watched his brother and his girlfriend stare at Callie, mouths open. This trip had been worth it already for that moment, alone.

"Sounds good to me!" he said to Callie, offering her his arm. "We'll meet you guys back here around 5:00, so we can all go to dinner- _together!_" He knew he was risking getting Vanessa mad at him, but a day outside _did _sound better than a day at Frank's museum. Joe actually didn't mind going to museums, but that one simply didn't interest him.

"Bye!" Joe and Callie said together, and left Frank and Vanessa staring after them.

After a few minutes, Frank turned to Vanessa. "Alrighty, then," he said to her. "That wasn't how I expected the day to start."

Vanessa sighed. "Yeah, but we deserved it, I guess. I would have expected Joe to get mad, though, not Callie!" she said, surprised.

"Well," Frank replied, a small smile beginning to form on his face. "At least I'm glad that Callie and Joe are getting closer. I think that'll make my life a heck of a lot easier."

Vanessa agreed. "Okay, buddy, I guess it's you and me then," she said. "Let's go!"

Over the course of the next several hours, Frank and Vanessa excitedly toured the museum. Vanessa laughed as she watched Frank enthusiastically soak up all of the information he could get about older airplanes, and she enjoyed seeing Frank so happy viewing the models presented. _He looks like a kid in a candy store_, she thought to herself.

"I could spend a week in here alone!" Frank said to her, as they walked through yet another informative display.

"I be you could," she said dryly to him. At this point, even she was growing a bit tired of the museum. She liked the displays and all, but she'd seen enough about planes at this point that she felt like she could build one, herself!

"Um, Frank? Would you mind if we took a break and maybe got a late lunch? It's almost 3:00, and I'm starving."

Frank paused, and then turned to her with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Vanessa," he said with a self-deprecating smile. "I guess I kind of got carried away, huh? Sometimes I forget that not everyone likes the same things I do. It'd be like Joe dragging me through a motorcycle museum. Forgive me?" he asked.

Vanessa smiled. "Forgiven."

Frank and Vanessa got a quick lunch, and then continued their tour of the museum, sipping sodas along the way. They were so busy chatting that they didn't notice the person walking towards them until it was too late.

With a thud, the person walked right into Frank and Vanessa, sending Frank's soda flying right into Vanessa, who stood there with her mouth open. The girl's papers scattered all over the place, and she stood there, stunned.

"I… I'm sooo sorry!" she gasped. " I don't know what's the matter with me." She was fumbling, trying to get herself together, and bending down to pick up the papers. "I just…" she paused when she looked up and saw Frank. Vanessa noticed that her whole expression and countenance changed when she looked at him. _Uh oh_, she thought silently.

"Let me help you with those," Frank said, and helped the girl pick up her papers. "It's no problem, really," he added. When he finished helping her, Frank took a look at the girl, and noticed that she was pretty cute. His first thought, however, was how different from Callie she was. She was tall- about 5'9", and had dark hair and light eyes, the total opposite of Callie. However, that was about all the thought he gave to her. "Here you go," he said to her, kindly.

"Oh! I… I didn't mean to bump into you. Are you okay?"

Vanessa rolled her eyes. _She _was the one with the soda spilled on her.

"Thanks so much for helping me," the girl continued, her eyes on Frank the whole time. "My name's Jenna- Jenna Barkalow," she added.

"Oh!" Frank said. "Sorry about that. My name is Frank Hardy," he replied, and shook her hand. "I see you work for the museum," he said to her, noting her uniform.

"AHEM," Vanessa said. "I hate to cut in here, FRANK, but I'm kind of a mess, and I think maybe we should get going."

Frank turned to her, surprised by the slightly hostile tone in her voice. "Jenna, this is Vanessa Bender." Reluctantly, Vanessa shook her hand. Something about the way this girl was looking at Frank was irritating her.

"Your girlfriend?" Jenna asked, hopefully.

"Actually, no," Vanessa said, hoping to end this right here. "I'm the girlfriend of his brother, Joe. However, Frank's girlfriend, Callie, is here with us, too. Isn't that right, Frank?"

Perplexed, Frank looked at Vanessa. "Yeah, of course," he responded.

"Oh," Jenna said, and Vanessa could se she was barely able to mask her disappointment. Vanessa sighed inwardly. Frank really was handsome, and he often got a lot of stares; Vanessa noted that he never paid attention to them, though, since he was devoted to Callie, who, herself, was beautiful. But, this girl was good-looking, and she _knew _it. Vanessa also saw that spark of interest in her eyes that didn't seem to be going away, despite the revelation that Frank had a girlfriend.

"Anyway," Jenna continued, ignoring Vanessa, "I sure do work here!" she said, flashing a bright smile. "AND, I'd _love_ to make it up to you for being so clumsy. How about you let me take you out to dinner? You know, to make amends."

To Vanessa's utter astonishment, Frank replied, "Well, sure! That'd be great!"

"Frank!" Vanessa sighed, exasperated. "Don't you think Callie would have a problem with that?!"

"Oh…" Jenna stuttered. "I… I meant all of you."

_Sure you did_, Vanessa thought angrily, already feeling defensive of Callie.

"That's nice of you, Jenna," Frank responded, seeing no harm in their conversation. "Maybe you'd like to come to dinner with us, tonight, instead."

_He's either the most naïve or the most polite person I have ever met_, Vanessa thought, stunned.

"Oh! That'd be great!" Jenna responded with a smile. She walked with Frank and Vanessa towards the bottom floor, by the back entrance. "Hey! I noticed that you seemed interested in the museum. Maybe I could give you a private tour sometime!" she said to Frank.

"That'd be fantastic!" Frank responded enthusiastically.

Vanessa's mouth fell open. This girl was so transparent, and Frank seemed to be falling for her- hook, line, and sinker.

"Maybe tomorrow?" she asked.

"Great!" Frank replied with a smile. "My girlfriend and brother would love that!"

Jenna's smiled faded a bit. "Well, I don't know how many people I could get back here. I was sort of thinking just the two of us- since you like the museum so much and all."

Frank suddenly felt uncomfortable. Had he been reading this girl the wrong way? He hadn't done anything wrong, but Frank suddenly felt guilty as Callie flashed through his mind. "Oh," he said at last. "We'll discuss it over dinner, I guess. You can meet my girlfriend then," he said, pointedly.

"Okay," the girl said. "But that offer still stands!"

With a wave, she got the address of the hotel they were staying at from Frank, and bid Vanessa and Frank good-bye.

"She was nice," Frank said, as they made their way outside.

By now, Vanessa was fuming. "Nice? NICE?" she practically shouted. "Frank, that girl was all over you! Hello?! You have a girlfriend, remember?! Not just any girlfriend, either. Callie is smart, funny, brave, gorgeous—and maybe the best person I have ever known! How could you let that girl get to you like that?!"

Frank felt his face grow red. "She wanted to give us a private tour!" he snapped at her.

"Private tour my…"

"Vanessa!" Frank said angrily. "Can it, now!"

"Don't talk to me like that!" she said angrily to him.

"Callie IS my girlfriend, Vanessa. You don't have to sing her praises to me. I resent what you're implying. I love Callie very much!"

"Just don't forget that!" Vanessa answered.

They headed back to the hotel in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you, Melissa, for the review on the last chapter. You're always so nice!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 3

That evening, Jenna joined the group at a trendy restaurant for dinner. By that time, Vanessa had finally forgiven Joe for having left her that day, and he had forgiven her for her comments. Vanessa couldn't help but to notice how well Jenna seemed to fit in with the group. Much to her surprise, Callie didn't seem to mind one bit that Jenna was there. She had greeted Jenna warmly, as Callie would have done to any of Frank's friends, and she seemed interested in learning about Jenna's job at the museum.

As they were talking, Vanessa noticed Joe staring at Jenna, and she promptly gave him a sharp elbow in the ribs.

"What?!" Joe whispered to her, surprised.

"Do you think you can keep your eyes in their sockets for dinner, at least?"

"Huh?" Joe asked her. Then, noticing what she meant, he said softly, "She IS pretty, Van."

Vanessa's mouth dropped. Joe HAD to be kidding her. Sometimes, honesty was NOT the best policy, in her book. Noting the distressed look on her face, Joe added at once, "But not nearly as pretty as you, baby," he said quietly, and leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"You'll have to do better than that," she hissed back quietly at him.

"Okay," Joe said with a smile. "I LOVE YOU VANESSA!" he called out loudly. Frank, Callie, Jenna, and a few other people paused momentarily to look at him before resuming their conversations. Vanessa felt her face burn bright red.

"Okay, Joe, that was subtle," Callie teased him, her eyes twinkling. "But it's nice to know you stand by your woman. I'm not sure I heard you, though. Want to repeat that again for Vanessa?!"

"No!" Vanessa and Frank said at the same time. Joe just laughed. That day, he had a really great time with Callie. They were both glowing from the warm summer sun, and it had turned out to be a lot of fun. He realized how funny Callie could be as she made dry comments while they people-watched, and even though he knew she had gotten tired pretty easily, she had insisted on staying out with him and seeing the outdoor sights. He realized that he really, genuinely _liked_ Callie, and he was happy that she was Frank's girlfriend.

With a small wink, he said to her, "I guess they just don't appreciate when a man tries to show his true feelings for his woman!" he sighed.

Vanessa finally gave in and laughed. "Joe, you're a dork, but an endearing one."

"Thanks-- I think," Joe replied with a smile.

As they continued their dinner, Vanessa noticed that somehow, Jenna had gotten both Frank and Joe to talk a lot about their investigations. She seemed to hang onto every word. Vanessa also couldn't help but to notice that Jenna seemed to have taken extra special care with her appearance that evening, wearing a slinky dress and high heels. She looked out of place with all of them, who were dressed casually, although she was only about 18 or 19 years old. Vanessa continued to be amazed that Callie didn't seem bothered by the fact that Jenna was flirting a lot with Frank and Frank, Vanessa noticed, didn't seem to be exactly ignoring it.

Then, the conversation turned to the next day. "So, are you still up for our tour tomorrow?" she asked Frank.

"Oh? What tour is that?" Callie asked, for the first time aware that the question was leveled at Frank, and NOT the group.

"Oh, yeah!" Frank said excitedly. "Jenna offered to give us a museum insider's tour-- you know, behind the scenes stuff. It'd be a great opportunity. I mean, with so much stuff actually on display, I can't even imagine what we DON'T see!"

Vanessa interjected. "But Jenna?" she asked sweetly. "I thought you might not be able to take ALL of us there."

Joe shot Vanessa a look. He could tell right away that she was being sarcastic, and he had no idea why. Jenna seemed perfectly nice to him.

"Well, Vanessa," Jenna said apologetically. "I think you're right, unfortunately. I could maybe only get myself and one or two more people in. That's it."

"I think I've seen enough already," Vanessa said evenly, hoping her message was getting through.

"Oh, that's okay," Jenna said with a smile. "Frank and I will go!"

Callie's eyes widened. She trusted Frank, but she wasn't a fool. She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it at once. _Okay, Frank, _she said to herself, silently. _Let's see how you play this one._

"That's nice of you, Jenna, but I'd only go with Callie. She hasn't seen it, and I think she'd enjoy it." Frank spoke to Jenna, but he turned to Callie and smiled warmly.

_Good boy_, Callie thought. _You passed that one._ Then, she saw that despite Frank's refusal to go, a part of him DID want to see what was inside the museum. Frank had always loved that type of thing. A part of her melted. She wanted Frank to be happy. _This might be stupid_, she thought to herself, but said out loud, "That's okay, hon. If you want to go, I understand. I mean, I wanted to see the sites with you and spend some time together…" She gave a small smile as she met his eyes, "But I guess we can do that later in the day. Go ahead. Have a good time."

Joe and Vanessa couldn't believe it. Finally, Joe saw what Vanessa had seen and told him about during the day. He saw it. Vanessa saw it. Even Callie saw it. Frank, he wasn't so sure of. _Don't do it, Frank_, Joe mentally pleaded with his brother.

But, Frank _did_ do it. "Really, Cal?! You wouldn't mind?! I mean, I'm sure it wouldn't take that long."

Callie gave a tight smile. "No, no. It's fine."

"Ugh," Joe groaned inwardly. Frank was going to go out with a girl who obviously liked him, and Callie was going to let him do it. _I guess this is what a soap opera feels like_, he thought. He felt sympathy come over him for Callie, who looked disappointed in Frank despite her words to the contrary. Suddenly, an idea hit him. "Hey, Jenna?" Joe asked, trying to get her attention.

"Yes, Joe?" she asked, apparently smiling at the thought of being alone with Frank tomorrow.

"You mentioned that you could take two people down with you, right?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Well, I'd like to go, too, if that's okay with you. That is, if Vanessa doesn't mind."

"Oh, no, Joe. I don't mind at all! Actually, I think that's a GREAT idea!" Vanessa responded, catching on right away. She squeezed Joe's hand. Callie inadvertently shot Joe a relieved look, and he gave her a small wink.

"I…um… well… okay," Jenna said at last. "Sure."

"This is fantastic!" Frank said, elated. "Joe, I didn't know you wanted to learn about planes and space technology!"

"My interest in it has just been renewed," Joe said, plainly. "Thanks, Jenna. I look forward to it.

After dinner, the two couples bid Jenna adieu and headed back to the hotel. Since it was pleasantly warm, they decided to walk back to the hotel. Vanessa caught up to Callie while Joe held his brother's arm and told him to slow down. He waited until the girls were out of earshot when he started speaking to his brother as they walked.

"What's the matter with you?" Joe asked his brother. "Another girl asks you out, right in front of Callie, and you say yes?!"

"What?!" Frank asked. "Look, Joe, I'm getting tired of this argument. I fought about it enough with Vanessa today. I really do want to see this museum. I would have loved for Callie to come with me. She didn't want to- she even told me I could go! What's wrong with that?!"

"You're just being stupid," Joe said, lacking another way to get the message across.

Frank's eyes darkened. "Why don't you let me worry about Callie, okay? BUTT OUT!" he said, more loudly. "Why is she the only one who trusts me?! Now, excuse me while I go and catch up to my girlfriend."

Joe watched as Frank caught up to Callie and slipped an arm around her waist as they walked. He gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head.

"What was that all about?" Joe heard Callie ask his brother, referring to his conversation with Joe.

"Nothing at all, baby," he heard Frank reply.

Muttering under his breath, Joe ran to catch up with Vanessa.


	4. Chapter 4

_Alicia and Melissa-- As always, thanks for taking the time to review!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 4

Early the next morning, Frank and Joe headed over to the National Air and Space Museum to visit with Jenna. The brothers spoke casually, but each was lost in his own thoughts.

Joe couldn't believe that he was spending a perfectly good morning on a museum tour that he was going to simply to make sure that his brother behaved himself. Never, in a million years, would Joe have thought he would be keeping an eye on Frank when it came to girls. Normally, it was the other way around. _It's ironic,_ he thought to himself. _A year ago, I would have told Frank he SHOULD be out looking for girls. Now, I WANT him to stay with Callie_. Despite Frank's reassurances, Joe couldn't help but to see that Frank found Jenna attractive. With a sigh, he realized that he couldn't blame him. Jenna _was_ attractive.

Frank, on the other hand, was excited about seeing the inner workings of the museum. He was intensely interested in aeronautics, and rarely would he have an opportunity to get to explore them in this much depth. He knew it was only a hobby. When he went to Princeton, he was fairly certain that he'd be a pre-law or Criminal Justice major. Still, he found this type of information very intriguing. He was also annoyed with both Vanessa and Joe. What he and Callie did was their business, and he would never cheat on her. Still, he had to admit that Jenna was pretty, and smart, and certainly seemed willing to sacrifice her own time to show him around as a friend. He pushed back the smallest lingering thought that Jenna might see him as MORE than a friend to the back of his mind, and walked through the entrance to the museum.

At once, Jenna appeared out of nowhere, and rushed up to give Frank, and then Joe, by obligation, a hug. "Hi guys! Are you ready?!" she exclaimed. "I hope you like what I have planned to show you today!"

"Absolutely!" Frank agreed. Joe nodded, and they began their tour.

As they walked over the next two hours, Joe couldn't help but to think that maybe he had been wrong about Jenna. Despite his unwillingness to be there, Jenna proved herself to be the perfect guide, pointing out displays going to be set up soon, explaining the historical significance of certain models, and telling anecdotes about famous fliers. Even Joe found himself interested as he listened to her, and found himself laughing more than he had intended to.

"Well, that's about it, I guess," Jenna concluded. " I hope you had a good time!"

"We did, thanks," Joe responded sincerely. "You sure know your stuff!"

Jenna smiled. "Well, we have to take pretty intensive tests to be guides here. It's not like you can just come off the streets and say, 'Hey, I'd like a job'."

"You'd do the people who hired you proud," Frank said to her with admiration. "This has really been a highlight. Can I ask you one question, though?"

"Sure thing," she responded, meeting Frank's eyes and giving him a smile.

"You've done a great job, but I noticed that when we were taking the tour, there appeared to be an area that was sectioned off in the background. It looked like there were a lot of security guards in the area. Is there something big going on?" Frank realized how nosy he sounded, and blushed. "Sorry. As I told you last night, Joe and I do a lot of investigative work. It's my natural instinct to be curious."

"I've always thought someone with intelligence and curiosity is very… stimulating," she replied with a coy smile, and gently touched Frank's arm. Joe noticed he didn't seem to mind.

"Um, Jenna," Joe cut in. "IS there something going on? I'm sure that's why Frank appears so _interested_," he said, pointedly.

Jenna ignored the remark. "Actually, guys, those aren't museum officials. They're police officers and members of the FBI."

"That's unusual, isn't it?" Frank asked her.

"Well, this IS Washington, D.C.," Joe said to his brother.

Jenna looked around sneakily, and then motioned the brothers to follow her. Puzzled, they did so, until they were led to a rather quiet part of the main museum. "Sorry, guys," Jenna said at last. "I'm not supposed to be talking about this. It's top secret. I wasn't even supposed to know about it- it's sort of hush hush."

"What is?" Joe asked, getting a bit tired of being led around.

"Promise you won't tell on me if I tell you," she said.

"Of course not!" Frank interjected. "Anything you say will be held in the strictest confidence."

Joe couldn't help but to think that Frank was awfully quick to make promises to someone he barely knew.

"I knew I could count on you," she purred, again touching Frank's arm.

"Jenna, what do you want to tell us?" Joe asked, exasperated.

"Okay," she said quietly. "The government is trying to keep this quiet, but since I work here, I happen to know about it."

"Yeah?" Joe prodded, curious as to whether there even WAS anything going on.

"A few days ago, a very valuable artifact was stolen from the museum—one of the first original plane designs from over a century ago. It wasn't on display, because obviously the security at night is super-modern. Plus, guard dogs patrol the area."

"So it must have been an inside job," Frank surmised.

"That's what the buzz is!"

"How valuable was this?" Joe asked.

"Priceless, especially to the aviation community. But there's something even more odd about it," she added.

"What's that?" Frank questioned, interested.

"I was dating a cop until a few days ago. I'm single now," she added hurriedly. Joe tried to avoid getting angry as he listened to her. "Anyway, he told me a little about what was going on, but you have to swear not to tell."

"Geez, Jenna, didn't we _do_ that already?" Joe could barely hide his annoyance.

Frank shot his brother a dirty look. "I apologize for my brother, Jenna. I'm sure you're just nervous about revealing confidential information. Please, go on."

Jenna's eyes widened in excitement. "Okay, here's the weird part. In the display case, where the papers were being stored, there was a Green envelope left there. It had one word, "AGIB", and then it said- catch this- "So Defendants Will Prevail." Isn't that the most bizarre thing you've ever heard?" she finished.

Joe, thinking back to their last few cases, sighed. "No, it's not the _most _bizarre thing, but it IS strange, I'll give you that!"

"Hmmm," Frank pondered. "Now you have me interested."

Joe groaned inwardly at his brother's poor word choice as he watched Jenna's face light up.

Frank continued. "Jenna, have there been any other robberies as of late that have been similar to this?"

"Gosh, I don't know," she replied. " I only had the inside scoop because I worked here. Why?"

"I don't know. I mean, when a note or something is left, that's highly unusual, especially if it's not direct or specific. Usually, it means something," he finished.

"Frank, you're so _smart_," Jenna said, emphasizing the last word. Frank beamed.

Joe cut in. "That's not brain surgery, Jenna."

Joe noticed that Frank was able to tear his eyes away from Jenna long enough to shoot him yet another dirty look. _If looks could kill, I'd be dead now_, he thought inwardly.

"Well, if there WAS another robbery, could we see something like that by investigating it?" Frank asked.

"Uh uh," Joe cut in. "Sorry, Jenna, but we're on vacation. With our _girlfriends_," he added at the last moment.

Jenna turned to Frank. "Well, by law, if a robbery has been committed and reported to government authorities, there has to be a record of it somewhere," she added. "There's an updated listing daily of goings on in the area in the Library of Congress, although few people pay attention to it. I mean, if something was going on- a pattern, if you'd call it that- that's where it would be. Plus, if anything happened in the museums, well- I mean, I have a pass that could get me in most places. But," she finished with a sigh, "I can look into it on my own. I don't want to disturb your vacation. I'm sure Kelly wants to spend time with you."

"Callie," Joe muttered.

"Excuse me?" Jenna asked.

"_Callie_, not Kelly. You spent the whole night with her yesterday and you don't know her name?"

"Joe, that's enough! Jenna has been kind enough to take us on a tour and give up her morning. Plus, she's given us a good idea for a case. What if there _is_ a pattern? Aren't you remotely curious?!" Frank said.

"Quite honestly, no," Joe said back to his brother. "There's been one robbery, and we're not even supposed to know about it! We came here to have fun, and that's what I intend to do. I will not get on a case that… that… well, that there's no reason for us to be on!" Joe was finding it harder and harder to be patient with Frank.

"Well, I for one am not going to let Jenna investigate this alone. It could be dangerous!"

Joe couldn't believe this. "Frank!" he said, finally losing his temper. "I don't believe that Jenna WAS going to do this, until YOU mentioned it."

"I think we should head to the Library right away," said Frank, ignoring his brother. "If we don't find anything, what did we lose?"

Joe's mouth fell open. "You're supposed to spend the day with Callie, remember?! You lose a day!" he finally managed to get out. Frank was acting like such a moron lately. Joe hoped he never acted that badly when it came to girls, although he had a feeling that in the past, he was actually worse. _But that's in the past_, he thought silently. _And now I have Vanessa, and that's it. And my brother has Callie._ Joe felt his temper begin to boil.

Frank sighed. Joe was right. Still, he could always call Callie. She would want him to help someone out. Besides, it would probably lead to nothing anyway. Mentally promising to call her and to make it up to her, he met Joe's eyes. "Tell her I'm sorry and I'll call her. She'll understand." With that, he turned away with Jenna.

Joe, furious, called out after his brother, "Tell her yourself!"

He couldn't shake the feeling that Jenna Barkalow was up to no good. Trying to decide what on earth he was going to tell Callie, he headed back to the hotel.


	5. Chapter 5

_Erm... I'm not quite sure if many people are even reading this story, but for those of you who are, I hope you like it. Alicia and Melissa, as always, your kind words are very much appreciated!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 5

When Joe arrived back at the hotel, he took a deep breath, and then knocked on the girls' door. Vanessa opened it immediately, and stepped out to give him a hug. As he hugged her tightly, he promised himself that he would do his best never to treat her disrespectfully or to hurt her in any way. He'd done it in the past by accident; but he realized what a lucky man he was.

He stepped into the room, holding on to Vanessa's hand, and saw Callie at once. She looked expectantly past him hoping to get a glimpse of Frank, and looked perplexed when she didn't see him. "Hi, Joe," she said pleasantly. "Where's Frank?"

Joe paused. He could lie to her, but that normally came back to bite him, somehow, when he did that. He could tell her the truth, but he didn't want to hurt her. So, he decided to be _selectively honest,_ a term he often used when he wanted to tell the truth, but not the _whole _truth. _So help me God, _he added dryly to himself. "Um… Frank's not here," he said vaguely.

"I see that, Joe. That's why I asked, believe it or not," she said with a smile.

"Uh, well, what happened was that we went on the tour this morning," he continued, trying not to stumble over his words.

"How was it?" Callie asked. She was grateful that Joe had volunteered to go with Frank that morning. Now, she was looking forward to the nice, romantic day that Frank had promised her. They were going to spend it together, and Joe and Vanessa would be on their own as well. Although Callie loved spending time with them, she longed to be with Frank alone for a little while. It seemed like each day of the summer was slipping away so quickly before they would have to go to college. She smiled as she thought about their day.

"It was…interesting," Joe said. "Um, Frank didn't call you?"

"No," Callie said, beginning to suspect something.

_I can't believe you, Frank. How could you not call her_? Joe shook off the thought. Frank had really put him in a tough one this time. Finally, Joe relented. "Well, we stumbled across a bit of a mystery, Cal." With that, he went on to tell Callie and Vanessa about the odd robbery that had taken place earlier in the week. He finished off his last sentence as tactfully as possible. "SO, Jenna wanted to look into this alone, but … um… rather than have her do that, Frank decided to help her out. He said he was REALLY sorry, and I am SURE that he'll be back soon. You know Frank," Joe said nervously. "He always wants to help people out."

Joe watched as Vanessa remained uncharacteristically silent, and the smile fell from Callie's face.

"Oh," she said, quietly.

Joe felt terrible. "Callie, look. I'm sure nothing is going on." Joe said that emphatically, hoping to convince himself of its veracity. "He just-- well-- loves mysteries, and he wanted to see if this was one."

Callie felt like crying, but was proud of herself for keeping her composure. She even managed to hold back the tears from her eyes. "YOU like mysteries, Joe. Is there a reason you didn't want to help?" she asked.

Joe replied, "Because I honestly don't think there IS one. Frank, though, likes to cover all the angles," he reminded her.

"I'll bet," Vanessa muttered quietly to herself, but stopped when she noticed that Joe was staring at her.

Callie was quiet for a minute, and Joe sat next to her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her. Giving her a quick squeeze, he said to her, "Come on, Cal! Let's you, me, and Vanessa spend the day together. We'll have fun!"

"Definitely!" Vanessa chimed in, sitting on the other side of Callie.

Callie closed her eyes for a second, grateful to have such kind friends. But, if there was one thing she hated, and always had, it was pity. She decided what she should do. "No way, guys!" she said with a smile. "This is your little romantic rendezvous! A third wheel is not welcome!"

"Callie," Joe continued. "How many times was I a third wheel to you and Frank over the years? My theory is it's all about the third wheel. Really, it's the secret to everything," he joked, trying to make her feel better.

"Nope!" Callie said, keeping up the optimistic front. She gave Vanessa a quick kiss on the cheek and then Joe one. "Thanks, anyway, buddies!" she added with a small smile.

"Are you sure?" Vanessa prodded. She didn't want to leave Callie alone.

"I am."

"Positive?" Joe asked again.

"Now, you're driving me nuts," Callie said with a wink. "Really, I'm fine. I'm sure there's a perfectly logical reason for Frank not calling. Don't feel bad for me, guys. I trust Frank. You should, too. Now--get out of here!" she said with a laugh, and pointed to the door.

"You're something else," Joe said to her, looking at Callie in admiration. If the situation was reversed, he certainly wouldn't be happy.

"Have a good time!" she said, and gave them a wave goodbye.

After they left, though, Callie buried her face in the pillow on the bed, and softly, started to cry.

***

It was almost 5:00 before Frank and Jenna were finished going through the papers. They had only yesterday's paper left to cover, but it appeared as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Frank was feeling more and more confidant that the robbery at the National Air and Space Museum was a one time, isolated incident, despite its strange nature.

As Frank was about to head into the last few papers, he heard Jenna's voice. "Frank?" she asked, as he turned to her. "I'm so tired. Maybe we could take a ten minute break or something?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

"Oh. Yeah, sure," Frank responded with a smile. He couldn't help but to notice again how pretty Jenna was. There was something wild and dangerous about her, despite her sweet exterior. Frank was simultaneously curious about that and a bit afraid of it. "I guess we have been working pretty long hours," he said to her. "The good news is that I think it's not all that big of a mystery after all! You can rest easy now."

"Yeah- that's great," she said hurriedly. "Frank- can I ask you a personal question?"

Frank raised an eyebrow. This was a little unusual. Still, something about her made him want to get to know her better. "Sure-- within all laws of decency and sanity," he added with a laugh.

"How long have you and Callie been together?"

Frank was a little taken aback. That had NOT been what he had been expecting to hear. He finally collected himself. "Um, about 4 years. Why?"

"Wow," Jenna said with a sigh. "That's a long time! Don't you ever get bored?"

Frank slapped his forehead. "Ugh," he groaned. "Callie! I totally forgot to call her! She's going to kill me!" He reached for his cell phone, but Jenna grabbed it from his hand.

"Don't you think at this point it would be better if you talked to her in person?" Jenna asked. With a sigh, Frank realized she was probably right. He felt awful, but at this point an impersonal telephone call might do more harm than good. "Yeah, maybe…" he murmured.

"So, Frank- do you?"

"Do I what?" Frank asked her.

"Get bored? I mean, don't you want to see what else is out there?" she asked.

"No," Frank replied. "You know, you sound just like my little brother used to. _Too many women, not enough time_, he used to say! But he found Vanessa. AND I have Callie. You know, when you love someone, you WANT to spend time with that person."

"I guess," Jenna said with a small pout. "But is Callie really your type? I have my doubts."

"What's that's supposed to mean?" Frank asked, feeling defensive of his girlfriend.

"Nothing, really. It's just that she's so…. All- American, you know? The rah rah cheerleader type. Blonde, beautiful… and I bet predictable, too."

Frank felt the color rush to his face. He took a moment to calm himself before he spoke. "You know, Jenna, I don't even think I should be having this conversation with you. You certainly don't know Callie, so you can't make judgments about her." He lowered his voice, as he tried to calm down. "For your information, though, in case you were curious, Callie is NOT a cheerleader; she finished in the top 5 of our class; she's funny; she's giving; she's strong. And," Frank said mournfully as it dawned on him, "I should be with her right now! So- if you'll excuse me…" He got up to leave.

Jenna caught his arm at once. "Stop, Frank- please," she begged him. "I didn't mean to upset you! I just- like you, that's all. I respect your relationship with your girlfriend. Please- can you give me another try?"

Frank paused. She appeared sincere enough, and he _had_ liked her company. Slowly, he sat down next to her. "All right," he said at last. "I… I thank you for the compliment, and I like you, too. But, I LOVE Callie. There's a big difference. Please understand that, and know that we're very happy together."

"Understood!" Jenna said with a smile. "Friends?"

Slowly, Frank returned the smile. "Friends."

"Now, how about we check out yesterday's paper, just in case?" she asked.

"Sure!" Frank said enthusiastically. "It never hurts to be thorough."

After several minutes of perusing the papers, Frank heard a gasp, and turned to Jenna.

"What? Did you find something?" he asked her at last.

"Yeah. Oh, Frank- look at this!"

Reading over her shoulder, Frank realized that just yesterday, The Babe Ruth Museum, located in nearby Baltimore, had been robbed. The baseball that Ruth had used to hit his last home run had been taken. From following sports, Frank knew how valuable that was.

"Look!" he said to Jenna. "It also was stolen from the basement of the museum. It had that weird word, AGIB," as well as that saying, "So Defendants Will Prevail." This time, though, it was written on an orange envelope! How can the police not catch that?!" he asked her, excitedly. "There's definitely a pattern here."

"Maybe they didn't know what to look for!" Jenna added enthusiastically. Caught up in the moment, she gave him a quick hug, which he didn't mind.

"We should report this connection, at least, to the local authorities," Frank said to her.

After reluctantly agreeing to do so, Jenna promised to meet with Frank the following day to report their findings. If necessary, perhaps she could even pull some stings and get Frank and Joe, hopefully, into some of the museums for after hours stakeouts.

Frank reached the hotel a little after 6:30. He was excited to tell Joe all about the case. First, though, he decided to see if Callie was in. She was.

"Hey—can I come in?" he asked her when she answered the door. Looking at her, he noticed her pretty flowered skirt and fitted blouse, and realized, with a pang, that he had ruined her evening.

"Yeah," she said quietly, and ushered him inside.

"Callie- I'm so sorry! I totally lost track of the time. I know I messed up, really badly, and I SWEAR I'll make it up to you. I should have called, but… I just really didn't realize how late it had become." He tried to meet her eyes, although he was afraid of what he would see there. Much to his shock, he saw—absolutely nothing. Her face was perfectly composed.

"It's okay," she said to him with a small smile. "It happens."

"You're not mad?" he asked incredulously.

"No, I'm mad," she said evenly. "You SHOULD have called. But what's the use of arguing about it now? How was your evening?"

Frank shook his head in disbelief. Callie was the most incredible woman he had ever met. He couldn't believe that she wouldn't make an issue of this.

"Nothing happened between us, if that's what you're thinking," he said, quietly.

"Did I say I was thinking that?" she asked him.

Frank was perplexed by her reaction. "No, you didn't. But I just thought I would clear the air."

"I didn't know it needed to be cleared."

"Oh."

"Look, Frank, I trust you, okay? I KNOW if something happened, you would tell me. I mean, if we were going to cheat on each other, we might as well break up. You've never given me reason to doubt you, so I won't start now."

Frank smiled tenderly at her. "Callie, I would never cheat on you," he said, feeling a bit choked up.

"So, tell me what happened, then," she said.

Over the next twenty minutes or so, Frank told Callie all about what he had found, and how he was positive there was some sort of investigation to be done. She tried to ignore the part about Jenna apparently being intricately involved in the case.

When he was done, he looked at Callie, who had been listening intently, and appeared interested. "So…" he said at last.

"So?" Callie questioned.

"Can we be friends again?" he asked her with a smile, extending his arms.

Callie smiled for the first time as she crawled into his arms and rested her head against his shoulder. It was then that her smile disappeared. She was glad that Frank couldn't see her face.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," he said softly to her. "I never meant to."

At the same time, Callie immediately picked up on the scent of Jenna's perfume, which, unbeknownst to her, Jenna had inadvertently rubbed off unto Frank's shirt from the hug.

"I know," she whispered back to him, holding back tears. The truth was, she didn't know anything anymore…


	6. Chapter 6

_As always, thanks for those of you who left feedback._

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 6

The following morning, Frank and Joe headed out to report their findings to the Washington, D.C. police. The girls had decided to stay behind. Joe had a strong suspicion it was because Callie didn't want to have anything to do with Jenna Barkalow. Vanessa, never one to leave someone upset, stayed with her.

As they traveled on the Metro, Joe held his tongue about Callie. He couldn't believe that Frank had ditched her the day before, and hadn't bothered to call. Maybe it was because Callie had been so ill; maybe it was because he was beginning to see how much fun she was to hang out with; maybe it was just because she was a nice person; but, in any case, Joe was recently feeling very protective of Callie. Still, he had to admit that it wasn't his business to get involved, and Callie certainly appeared to have forgiven Frank for his behavior yesterday. Maybe, when they went to meet the girls for lunch later, everything would be back to normal. With a sigh, he settled back into his seat.

"Problem?" Frank asked him, hearing his brother's sigh.

Joe turned to him. "No, not really. Just thinking."

"About the case?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, sort of."

"What about it?"

Joe took a deep breath. This little bit of curt conversation with him and Frank was beginning to drive him crazy. Deciding to concentrate on the case at hand and not his brother's love life, he steered the conversation back in that direction.

"Frank, this case obviously has some sort of pattern to it. I have no idea what "AGIB" means, or if the colors of the envelopes are important, or even what "So Defendants Will Prevail" would mean. It would seem to me that the last line implies some sort of revenge plot, but against whom, I have no idea. What about you? Any insights?"

Frank remained quiet for a few moments before speaking. "No, Joe, I'm at a loss, to tell you the truth. Maybe the police will provide some insights. Jenna has some good ideas, too, I'm sure. Maybe we should run them by her later."

_Be calm_, Joe told himself, trying to forgive his brother for his temporary insanity. "Well, Callie and Vanessa might have good ideas as well. Maybe we should run it by them. After all, they've both helped us out a lot in the past, you know," he said to his brother.

"Definitely!" Frank agreed enthusiastically. "Maybe we all can talk about it over lunch. Then, all of the girls can help us with it."

Joe couldn't help himself this time. "_ALL _of the girls?! Frank, you're not honestly considering asking Jenna to join us for lunch, are you?! Don't you think Callie might be just a little annoyed about that, considering what happened yesterday?!"

Frank met Joe's eyes. "Callie wouldn't mind. We talked about this last night! Anyway, maybe you're right. I mean, it would be easier to have everyone together, but I wouldn't want to upset Callie at all, even though she knows there's nothing going on."

"You're sure about that?" Joe asked, but Frank's glare silenced him. "Okay, then," he muttered to himself.

As the Metro pulled into its stop, the brothers descended from the train and were met almost immediately by Jenna. She was wearing a short denim skirt that accentuated her long legs, and a form fitting green blouse, which brought out her eyes. Joe watched as his brother gave Jenna a friendly greeting, and he noticed that Frank's eyes barely left her.

"Hi, Joe!" he heard her say happily to him.

"Hi," Joe said, trying not to sound annoyed. "I guess we ought to get going to the station, huh?"

"Sure," she replied, playfully linking her arm through Frank's. Joe noticed at once that Frank didn't pull away, and he felt himself getting mad for Callie, again.

As they walked along, Joe listened into parts of their conversation, catching brief phrases here and there as he looked at the beautiful scenery surrounding him. He couldn't help but to wish Vanessa was here with him. But- no. Here they were on yet another vacation in which all they were doing was working on a case. _So much for fun in the summertime, _he thought.

Joe heard Jenna asking about their future plans for the week, and he heard Frank reply that Callie would be looking at colleges, starting with Georgetown, the following morning. He noticed how Jenna kept reinforcing the idea to Frank about how difficult long distance relationships were to maintain, although she was _sure _that Frank and Callie could do it if they wanted to. Somehow, by the time they reached police headquarters, Jenna had basically gotten their schedule down pat.

Shaking his head in wonder at this girl, Joe followed them into the police station. Once inside, they walked up to one of the front windows and asked to speak with an officer, stating that they had some interesting information about two robberies that appeared to be connected. As they were ushered into the back, the police officer excused himself for a moment. When he came back, he had another man with him.

"Thank you for excusing me," the officer said to them, taking a seat on the opposite end of the table. "Again, I'm officer David Grammar, and this is my commander, Kelsey Pierce." With introductions made, they all shook hands before sitting down again.

Officer Pierce began speaking. An older gentleman with a kind face and disposition, he appeared concerned as he listened to Frank and Jenna describe their findings. At the conclusion of their story, he nervously began tapping his pencil on the table. At last, he spoke.

"Mr. Hardy, Ms. Barkalow," he began, slowly. "We have, indeed, noticed these two robberies, and we're highly concerned about them. Quite frankly, we wouldn't even be entertaining a discussion with you about them, but the reason that Officer Grammar called me in here was not only because of your information, which is relatively secret at this time, but because of your name. You're not, by any chance, related to Fenton Hardy, are you?"

Joe was surprised, but Frank spoke up. "Actually, we're his sons. Do you know him?"

Officer Pierce smiled, and said, "Sure! He's helped out the federal government on a lot of cases, and clearly you two have followed in his footsteps. You'd certainly have a foot in the door if either of you ever decided to go into federal law enforcement," he added, earnestly.

"We've thought it. Thank you, sir," Joe responded.

"That being said," Officer Pierce continued, "Let me be blunt. These two cases are being worked on by the FBI as well as local officials. It appears to be an inside job, as you suspected. We've been looking to get people into the touring aspect for the museums to work undercover. Certainly, the FBI has young men and women working on this as well, but not as young as you. No one would suspect teenagers to be investigating this. Would you be interested in serving in an undercover capacity?" he asked Frank and Joe.

Joe bit his lip. It DID sound like an interesting job, but Callie and Vanessa would kill them. On the other hand, there would probably be ample opportunity to spend evenings with them when the museum closed. He was about to respond when he heard Frank say, without hesitation, "We'd love to help!" Joe just stared at him in disbelief.

"Oh, and I can help, too!" Jenna cried enthusiastically.

"Not so fast, Ms. Barkalow," Officer Pierce responded. "The only reason I am offering such a position to these young men is because I have met their father, and I know their growing professional reputations. I'm sorry, but you have no experience. And," he added emphatically, "you will have to remain quiet about this."

Jenna, however, didn't take no for an answer. "Well, that might be true, officer," she said with a bright smile. "But I have something these guys don't."

They all stared at her, as Officer Pierce asked, "And what would that be?"

"I have a badge! I actually know my way around some of these museums, and it would be believable that I could help find people my own age to employ. Come on! It's the perfect cover." She glanced at Frank slyly, a look which he missed but Joe picked up right away. "We'd work _very_ close together," she added.

"Well, that's true," the officer said, rubbing his neck. "That might not be such a bad idea."

"Hold on a second!" Joe interjected, unable to stay silent any longer. "Frank and I have solved dozens of cases on our own, without help from anyone else. I'd tell Jenna thanks, but no thanks!"

"I don't know, Joe," Frank cut in. "I actually think it's a good idea. Jenna could help us out with this."

"I agree," the Officer stated, and Joe was, once again, stunned into silence. What was Frank thinking?!

"Is there a reason why you're eager to have us? I mean, I know very valuable things have been stolen, but is there a certain place you'd like us to start?" Frank asked. "There've only been two robberies so far."

"Three," said the Officer seriously.

"What? Where?" Joe asked, curious. He was pretty sure that if there had been information on a robbery out there, Frank would have found it. _Then again, _he thought warily, _Frank may have been distracted._

Officers Pierce and Grammar looked tired. It was Officer Grammar who finally spoke. "Boys, Jenna," he said. "Just last night, another robbery occurred. It took place at the International Gallery, which is known for its collection of valuable paintings and portraits from all over the world. Everything is the same; "AGIB," "So Defendants Will Prevail," the piece missing from the basement. The only variable seems to be the color of the envelopes, which might be pure coincidence. This time, the message was left on a blue envelope, and the piece of artwork was from Chile; a portrait entitled "Refugees." We're certainly working overtime on this. Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated."

Joe let out a low whistle. "Wow! Something big seems to be going on here," he said.

"That's what we're afraid of," Officer Pierce responded.

"We'll certainly do our best to help you out," Frank replied sincerely, as they all got up to leave."

"Start tomorrow, boys. Come here first thing in the morning, and I'll instruct you where to go. Jenna, go to The National Air and Space Museum, where you normally go, tomorrow, and see what you can find out. Please, keep us up to date on what's going on."

After promising to do so, the three headed outside. Jenna smiled, and said, "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, I guess! Frank, if anything changes, give me a call. Here's my number," she said, handing him a pre-filled out slip of paper. "I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other!" With those words, she bounded away happily.

Joe turned to his brother before they headed back onto the Metro. "You know, Frank, you were supposed to take Callie to Georgetown tomorrow. As it is, Vanessa is going to be mad enough at me, but this vacation was supposed to be for you and Callie, really. Just what, exactly, are you planning on telling her?" he asked.

"The truth, Joe," Frank said, simply. "Look, I feel bad enough about this already without you trying to make me feel worse. I guess Vanessa's going to have to keep Callie company on the college tour, and we'll have to hook up with them later in the day."

"Don't you think you might be taking Callie a LITTLE for granted?" Joe asked, exasperated. "Especially when she finds out that you'll be working _very closely _with Jenna," he finished, imitating Jenna's words.

"Callie will understand, Joe. I TOLD you that. Now, let's go and catch the Metro. We have to meet the girls for lunch," Frank replied evenly, and headed away from his brother.

"I'm not so sure about that, understanding big brother," Joe muttered under his breath as he ran to catch up with Frank.


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks again for the reviews!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 7

"I can't believe you let him do that to you!" Vanessa grumbled to Callie the next morning, as they finished up the first half of the tour around Georgetown. They were on a brief fifteen- minute recess before a new tour guide would take them around the second half of the campus. Taking a seat outside of the college center, Vanessa found herself feeling irritable. This was _not _the way she had intended for this vacation to turn out.

"I didn't _let _him do anything, Vanessa!" Callie replied, turning to her friend. "He did it on his own." She was, of course, referring to Frank's decision to take on a new case with Jenna Barkalow, with whom she knew he would be spending a considerable amount of time.

"Well, I think he's acting like a real jerk lately, if you want my opinion," Vanessa interjected. "You know that girl's all over him!"

Callie tried to control her voice. She was in the terrible position of having to defend Frank while she secretly agreed with Vanessa's assessment of her boyfriend at the moment. "Look, Van," Callie replied with a sigh. "I appreciate you sticking up for me, but I can fight my own battles. I trust Frank. He told me there was nothing going on- why shouldn't I believe him?"

"Oh, because she's GORGEOUS, and she made no bones about wanting Frank, that's why. PLUS," Vanessa went on, "he didn't exactly tear his eyes off of her, if you know what I'm saying."

Callie felt the color rise to her cheeks. Slowly, she muttered, "You're not making me feel any better, Van."

Vanessa felt bad, and immediately put her arm around Callie's shoulders, giving her a quick hug. "I'm sorry, Callie," she said, truthfully. "It's just that you've been through so much lately, and Frank should be treating you a lot better. I'm sure he'll come to his senses."

Pulling away from her friend, Callie began to feel indignant. She'd controlled her feelings very well lately, but she was on the verge of losing her composure. She responded to her friend at once. "Look, Van, just because I was sick doesn't mean Frank should spend all his time with me. That's a terrible reason to stay with someone! And, if Frank's going to cheat on me, there's absolutely nothing I can do to stop him, right?! I can't yell at him-- I'm not his mother. I refuse to play the "I'm sick" card, not only because I'm getting better, but also because that means he'd be with me out of guilt. I won't play the jealous girlfriend, either, because who'd want to be with someone like that?!" Callie felt her voice trembling and she blinked back tears.

Vanessa, stunned at Callie's strong reaction, stuttered, "That's not… I mean…"

"And," Callie said, going on, "We're going to college in a few months. Whether I'm across the country or in another state, it doesn't matter. I can't be with him 24/7, and if I don't have trust, what do I have?! You know, I know we're both young, but I did… I thought…" Callie found herself upset, and tripping over her words, but she went on. "I guess I thought we _would _end up together in the long run. I… I really do love him, Vanessa. So- I'll give him as much rope as he needs."

"Oh, Callie," Vanessa sighed. "I know, hon. But with men- if you give them enough rope, they'll hang themselves with it, that's all I'm saying." She squeezed Callie's hand.

"But you gave Joe a lot of room, and in the end, you wound up together," Callie said, holding onto some hope.

"True," Vanessa agreed. "But Frank and Joe are very different. Joe had his fun dating, like, every girl in Bayport- twice," Vanessa grinned ruefully. "Frank's been with you- steadily- for a long time."

"Well," Callie said, as she wiped back a tear quickly that had begun to form, "If it's not meant to be, it won't be, I guess. So, I _have _to trust him. And I'll _never _tell him what he can or can't do. That's on his conscience. I just have to keep an open mind."

Vanessa was upset. Callie _never _cried, and she had been through a lot. Even now, she was managing to hold it together, although she was clearly upset. "Cal," she said at last, "Keep an open mind, but keep an open eye, too. I don't want to see you hurt. On the other hand, you're right- trust Frank. Just not- _blindly_, okay?" With that, she gave Callie another hug.

Within moments, the tour got ready to begin again. "Ladies," they heard a voice say, "Are you ready to begin? I'll be more than happy to answer any questions that you have along the way. We'd love to have you here!"

Callie and Vanessa looked up at the young man before them, and Vanessa felt a smile creep to her face. This guy was _hot_. He stood about 6'2", and had deep blue eyes, brown hair, and dimples. Even wearing a simple Georgetown tee-shirt and jeans, he looked like a model. Vanessa couldn't help but to notice that he was staring pretty intently at Callie, too.

Standing up, Vanessa nudged Callie as she shook his hand. "Hi! I'm Vanessa, and this is my good friend, Callie. _She's _the one who might be coming here in the fall. Isn't that right, Callie?! Anyway, you are?…"

The young man smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry!" he said with a bright smile. "My name is Dave- Dave Shaunnesey. I'm a sophomore here. I was about to introduce myself to everyone else in the group as well. But, I'm glad I met you first," he said, speaking to both Vanessa and Callie, but keeping his eyes on Callie steadily.

"Shall we begin?" he asked.

"Sure!" Vanessa replied. "Since Callie here might be going, why doesn't she stay up with you? I'll hang back and, um… enjoy the view!" she said with a laugh.

"Sounds great!" Dave said, and winked at Callie, who looked mortified as he led her to the front of the group.

Vanessa smiled as she watched Dave flirt with Callie the whole tour. It wasn't like she wanted Callie to break up with Frank; they were the best couple she knew. However, Vanessa thought to herself, let Callie know she's beautiful, and let her feel good about herself. If Frank could flirt, why shouldn't Callie?

But, Vanessa noticed as the tour ended, Callie didn't seem to be flirting back. As a matter of fact, she didn't even look like she knew what to do with herself. Vanessa sighed. Callie had been out of the dating game for so long she appeared to have forgotten how lovely she was, or what it was like to flirt with someone other than Frank. Vanessa had noticed that guys were ALWAYS checking Callie out, and girls did the same with Frank. They were so into each other, though, that neither one ever really seemed to notice.

As the tour ended and the crowd dissipated, Vanessa joined up with Dave, whom, she noticed, was still talking to Callie.

Callie, catching sight of Vanessa, smiled gratefully, and turned back to Dave. "Well, it was lovely to meet you," she said sincerely to him. He was certainly nice, funny, and easygoing, and Callie had enjoyed their conversation. But, she reminded herself, she had other issues on her mind.

"The pleasure was all mine," Dave responded back with a smile. "Say, um, do you think maybe you'd like to get together while you're here?" he asked Callie, not at all embarrassed to ask her out in front of Vanessa.

Vanessa turned to Callie, awaiting her response. "Oh… oh," Callie stammered. "Um, that's very sweet of you, but I…um… I have a boyfriend. We're actually on vacation with them," she blushed.

Vanessa noticed Dave's smile lessen a bit as he collected himself. Vanessa was willing to bet he didn't get turned down often for dates. Still, she was surprised by his response.

"Oh," he said. "Well, then." He smiled at Callie warmly. "He's a very lucky man. Would the two of you like to get together, anyway? I would like to meet your boyfriends. Maybe we can hang out—I'll show you all around D.C. We could even start in an hour or so—I get off then. My tour of duty is over!" he said with a wink.

Vanessa and Callie looked at each other.

"Why not?" Callie said with a smile. "But, our boyfriends are… busy… at least for the rest of the day, until dinner. So, if you don't mind, that would be really nice."

"Yeah, it would," Vanessa replied, knowing that both Joe and Frank would flip out the minute they found out about this. _It serves them right for abandoning us, though, _she couldn't help but to think. She loved Joe dearly, and this was perfectly innocent enough, but a little jealously now and again never hurt any relationship!

"Mind?!" Dave said, his blue eyes flashing as the dimples appeared on his perfectly chiseled face. "It's a beautiful day, I've made two new friends, and I get to be the envy of every guy when they see me walking down the street with two gorgeous women!" He winked at them. "I'll see you in an hour! This is gonna be great!" With that, he left them by themselves as he went to take out another tour.

"Cal!" Vanessa exclaimed happily. "What are the chances of that happening?! You get off solid ground with Frank for a little while, and another guy is crazy about you already?! A gorgeous guy at that! Geez- Georgetown is looking better and better!" she teased.

Callie, looking uneasy at the prospect, just turned to Vanessa. "Yeah, what ARE the chances?" she asked.

She stood in silence, looking after him.


	8. Chapter 8

_See? I'm keeping up with the updates! Again, if you have reviewed, I appreciate it. I don't know if many people are even reading this story, but for those of you who are, you have been awesome with your lovely reviews. Thanks!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 8

By 4:00 that same afternoon, Frank and Joe had just about had it with investigating. While Jenna was out at the National Air and Space Museum, they had been given manuals about each of the museums in the area. Chief Pierce had recommended that they find out some background information on the museums in order to pass, minimally, for potential tour guides. They would begin the next day by going from one museum to another, under the guise of deciding which museum they wanted to be guides for.

Joe groaned as he looked at the manual in his hand. It seemed like he read the same paragraph over and over again. They were sitting in the Chief's office, trying to soak up as much information as they could in one day.

"Frank, I give up!" Joe said, exasperated, and flipped the manual on the desk. Rubbing his eyes, he suppressed a yawn. "I really don't care what museum I tour, to be honest with you. I just think that we should do it together, in case any trouble comes up."

Frank looked up from the manual he was reading as he listened to his brother. "I know, Joe," he said with a small smile. "And I know you're tired—so am I. This hasn't exactly been the world's most exciting day. But, if we're going to pass for guides, we need at least a minimal amount of knowledge about these museums," he said. "And the only way to do that by tomorrow is to keep reading."

"Well, I don't really want to read anymore," Joe argued. "I'm tired. I'm hungry. And, I'd like to spend some time with Vanessa, if that's possible." Leaning back, he raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Don't you want to see Callie? I'm surprised she didn't kill you, by the way, for getting us involved in this. As it is, this is gonna cost me a lot of flowers and some expensive dinners for Vanessa. Hey- I should charge you!" Joe joked. "This was your idea!"

Finally, Frank put down the manual he was reading. "Yeah, of course I want to see Callie," Frank said at last. "I know she's being incredibly patient with me on this case. But, Joe- come on! This is an interesting case, and I plan on not getting involved in any more until I go to school. Believe me, I wish I could spend all my time with her- I miss Callie."

Joe sighed. "Well," he said, "We ALWAYS plan on not taking on cases, but somehow, we always manage to get on them."

Frank was about to respond when his cell phone rang. Thinking it was Callie, he answered, "Hey, baby," into the receiver.

"Well, hey baby yourself," the voice responded.

"Oh," Frank stuttered sitting up in his chair. "Hi, Jenna. Sorry about that. I thought you were Callie."

Joe shook his head as he listened to Frank speak to Jenna. That girl seemed to have impeccable timing. He began to get concerned when he saw Frank's face change and heard responses like, "Really?!", "Great idea," "That's okay," and "I'm looking forward to it." By the time Frank hung up with Jenna, Joe was almost afraid to ask. But-- he did.

"Is there something I should know about?" he asked his brother, point blank.

"Yeah," Frank said, a serious look on his face. "Jenna had a good idea. With her tour guide pass, she can get us into the museums at night. Since we already have a head start, she suggested that we go with her tonight to one of the museums in the area and check out the basements where things are stored. With the Chief's permission, perhaps we can find something out- snoop around after hours. I'm surprised I hadn't thought of that."

"She does seem to think of everything," Joe replied sarcastically. As Frank was about to make a retort, Joe pre-empted him. "Frank, come on! You can't keep breaking promises to Callie- it's not fair. I don't plan to break mine to Vanessa, either. We promised them dinner and to spend some time with them. Their understanding can only go so far," Joe finished.

Frank sighed. Joe was right. "I know, Joe," he said. "But tell me you'll come with me tonight. I really can't do it without you- you're my _com padre_, you know?!" Frank gave Joe a small smile, and Joe shook his head in exasperation.

"Joe, please?" Frank asked. "We'll take the girls out to dinner; maybe rent a movie or hang out or something. Believe me," Frank continued, knowing what he had to say next. "This is NOT to spend time with Jenna. Callie's my girl, Joe. I hope you know that by now. I'm not trying to defend myself here about this any more, but, you know…" his voice trailed off.

The light dawned on Joe at once, and his mouth fell open. "Frank Hardy!" he snapped at his brother. "I GET IT all right! You want me to come not because I'm your partner or whatever, but because your girlfriend would kill you if she knew you were spending a long night alone with Jenna!" Joe couldn't believe this. Frank was, by nature, not a devious person whatsoever.

"That' not true!" Frank yelled back. "If you don't want to come, fine. I'll go by myself. I asked you because you see things I don't a lot of the time, and if something happens, I would like you there. I can't believe you'd say that!" Frank was getting tired of this. It seemed he was constantly defending his relationship with Callie to everyone but Callie, herself. With Joe's attitude, it might be better if he didn't come along.

Joe paused, unsure of whether or not Frank was telling him the truth. "All right," he said slowly. "I'll come with you. If I was wrong, I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Frank said, letting a deep breath go.

"But I don't think I am- at least totally," Joe had to add.

"Oh, Joe- for Pete's sake! You're being ridiculous. If I wanted to be alone with Jenna, would I have asked you to go?! No- I would have asked you NOT to go. Can we drop this- now?!" Frank asked, feeling his breaking point coming very quickly.

"Fine," Joe muttered.

After a few more minutes, they headed back to the hotel.

To their surprise, several hours later at dinner, they found that their girlfriends had met a new friend, and had invited him to dinner with them. As Joe listened to them all talk about their day, he felt conflicted. On one hand, he was happy that the girls had found a way to entertain themselves and had met someone who could show them around. Also, Dave _seemed _nice; he was funny and outgoing, and clearly knew that their girlfriends were spoken for. On the other hand, he wasn't crazy about _how _friendly Vanessa and Callie appeared to have gotten with him, especially with someone who was so handsome. _Stop it_, he told himself. _Trust Vanessa._

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Vanessa give him a wink, and he knew everything would be okay. Reaching over, he squeezed her hand, and smiled when she blew him a kiss. Instantly, he felt better.

Frank, on the other hand, wasn't feeling as good. Like Joe, he had been glad that Callie and Vanessa appeared to have had fun, especially since it was their fault that the girls were alone to begin with. However, although Dave seemed friendly, he couldn't help but to notice how much subtle attention he was paying to Callie. He listened a bit more carefully when she spoke, laughed a little more at her jokes, and seemed to have a reason to reach out to touch her on far more occasions than was necessary. He felt himself getting a little jealous and angry, and had to remind himself that Callie _was _a beautiful girl, and it was perfectly logical for any guy to want to be with her. Plus, Callie didn't appear to return his affection. On the contrary, Frank noticed that she sat closer to _him_ and kept trying to involve him in the conversation.

"Isn't that right, Frank?" Callie's voice brought him back to the present. He looked around and noticed that everyone was staring at him, waiting for a reply. He had never consciously been aware of how loud silence could be until that moment, or how out of character he must seem to everyone at the table.

"Oh, uh," he stumbled, feeling like more of an idiot in front of Dave. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. I guess I was thinking," he added with a blush.

"About the case you're working on?" Dave asked, curious.

Frank shot him a look, and Joe did the same. "Oh, Vanessa told me a lot about it," he apologized. "I didn't know it was a secret."

Vanessa mouthed "I'm sorry," to Joe, and then said out loud, "Yeah, guys, I'm sorry. I didn't get into details with Dave, but I told him you were working on something at museums in the area. I mean, that does explain your noticeable absences."

Joe sighed. Vanessa was the best, but she did tend to chat a bit too much on occasion. They didn't even know this guy! Still, he was sure that Vanessa had been quiet about the important parts; she wasn't stupid.

"Yeah, Dave," Joe responded. "We're working on a little something. It should be done, soon, hopefully, and then we can relax and enjoy the summer- with our girlfriends," he added, slipping an arm around Vanessa. It couldn't help to remind Dave that both Vanessa and Callie, whom, Joe noticed, was getting a lot of attention from Dave, were taken.

"Well, that's great," Dave said at last, breaking the silence.

Again, the phone rang at that moment, and Frank excused himself to answer it. Joe could tell at once, even at a distance, that it was Jenna, from the look on Frank's face. He also noticed that Callie noticed, too. _Uh, oh_, he thought.

"We should probably get going," Frank said, coming back to the table. He had told the girls about their plans for the evening earlier in the day. "That was Jenna. She's waiting for us at the Metro stop by the Capitol. I told her that I… we…" he added quickly, noticing the look on Callie's face…"would be there in a half an hour or so."

"I thought we were going to hang out for a while before you had to go," Vanessa said pointedly to Joe.

"Yeah, me too," Joe answered her, and looked at Frank.

Frank looked uncomfortable. "There's nothing I can do. She's waiting."

"She put herself in that position," Vanessa sighed. "Oh, all right. Go ahead. Callie and I can get back by ourselves."

"There's no need for that!" Dave cut in. "I don't want the girls wandering around D.C. at night- it can be dangerous. I'll be happy to escort them back."

Joe was caught between annoyance and gratitude. He didn't want to endanger Vanessa, but _he _should be the one taking her back. Vanessa was right- Jenna _had _put herself in the compromising position. "Thanks," he managed at last. "That'd be great."

"There's no need for that," Frank interrupted. "I guess I can call Jenna back. I can take Callie back," he said.

Joe tried to hide his surprise. Frank had been perfectly willing to ditch Callie to see Jenna until the prospect that Dave would be spending time with Callie came into play. He saw the jealously right away in his brother's eyes, and couldn't believe the double standard going on. What's more, Callie, Joe noticed, hadn't so much as said a word during this entire exchange; she had absolutely nothing to do with his brother's change in demeanor.

Trying to save his brother from looking worse, Joe interjected, "No, Frank. I'm sure the only reason to wanted to go in the first place is to get started right away, right? Regardless of where Jenna is," he added, meeting his brother's eyes. "Let's go where we need to, and let Callie and Van go back to the hotel with Dave." Turning to Dave, Joe extended his hand. "Thanks again, man," he said.

"No problem," Dave said, shaking it.

Joe gave Vanessa a quick hug and kiss good-bye, and told her to be careful. She smiled at him, and he knew she had forgiven him for yet another catastrophe.

Frank turned to Callie, and hugged her tightly. He was a little surprised that she didn't return his embrace as enthusiastically. "I'll see you later tonight," he said softly to her. "I love you."

Callie met his eyes, and gave him a tight smile. "I love you, too," she managed to get out. Then, as if on second thought, she reached into her pocket as Vanessa headed outside with Dave. "Here," she said, handing Frank a small piece of paper. "This fell out of your pocket when you went to answer the phone." With a choked voice, she said to him softly, "Have fun."

Puzzled, Frank opened the piece of paper as soon as Callie left.

Biting his lip, he felt a sudden sadness and worry come over him. Somehow, Callie had picked up Jenna's phone number…


	9. Chapter 9

T_hanks again for all of your feedback! Well, except for the latest one which, when I read it, I had to laugh and I thought to myself, "That sounds like it's coming from a 14 year old girl." So, out of curiosity, I looked at the profile and I smiled- dead on! In that regard, I shall say no more, other than to note that I do have a while to go as a writer since that Carolyn Keene wrote so many books. Geez! She and Franklin W. Dixon --- how CAN they find the time to write so much? (LOL-- wink). Anyway, hope ya all enjoy the story. We'll have to see if Jenna and Dave are what they seem, eh?! _

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 9

That night, as Joe and Frank traveled on the Metro to meet up with Jenna, Joe couldn't help but to notice how quiet his brother was. Clearly, something was on his mind. The last time Joe had seen Frank actually speak was when he had said good-bye to Callie, and he had seen Callie slip a piece of paper into Frank's hand. He hadn't spoken since, apparently lost in thought. Although Joe was perturbed by his brother's behavior most recently at dinner, his heart went out to him. If there was one thing he couldn't stand to see, it was his brother hurting.

Having only a few minutes to go before they were to meet up with Jenna, Joe decided to speak up.

"Frank? Are you okay?" he asked.

Frank turned to him and nodded quietly.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Joe questioned again. When Frank didn't answer, Joe put a hand on his arm. "Frank," he said again. "Seriously, talk to me. I promise I'll listen and I won't butt in. We'll never make any progress tonight if you're still acting like this. I'm your brother. I'll zip the lip- promise." Joe pulled an imaginary zipper across his mouth and pretended to lock it and throw away the key. He looked at his brother with big blue eyes.

Frank finally cracked a smile. "You're so silly," he said at last.

"I know," Joe said, returning the smile. "But it's only because I care. Besides, I'll deny any mention of this if you try to bring it up again," he joked.

Frank rolled his eyes. "Thanks," he said to Joe. "I'll remember that."

"So?" Joe prodded. "We only have a few minutes till we meet Jenna. What's up?"

Finally Frank spoke, obviously troubled. "I'm worried about Callie, I guess," he said at last. "She found Jenna's phone number. Something about the way she said "have fun" tonight really disturbed me, as if she thought that was the purpose of this. I think that she thinks I'm interested in Jenna."

"Are you?" Joe asked, pointedly.

Frank met his eyes, and then sighed. "I don't know, Joe. I mean, no, not really. Callie's the most wonderful girl I've ever met. I really do love her- a lot. I can't imagine being without her."

"So, what's the problem then?" Joe asked, trying to listen instead of speak. Somehow, he had a feeling Frank needed that at the moment.

Sensing Joe wasn't about to give him a lecture, Frank finally relented. "I don't know. I mean, Jenna is – well, she's great. She's smart and funny and, well,…"

"And gorgeous," Joe cut in.

"Yeah, she is," Frank said, feeling terrible. "I can't help being attracted to her. I just wonder what it would be like to just…" Frank blushed as he said it. "To just kiss her, you know? Oh, never mind. I can't believe I just told you that. I even TOLD _her_ I wasn't interested."

Joe tried to mask his shock. This was more serious than he had thought. Joe took a moment, and then chose his words carefully. "I guess I always thought this might happen," he said, slowly. "It just never seemed like it actually would."

Frank was surprised. "You thought WHAT might happen?" he asked.

Joe let out a slow breath before he spoke. "That you would ultimately want to see what's out there. You and Callie have been together forever, Frank. You started dating when you were- what?- 14 or something? I mean, look at you. Look at her. You're both going off to college. You grew up to be- well, almost as good looking as me," Joe said, trying to make light of it, although he found he couldn't. "And Callie- well, she's really beautiful, too. Again, don't tell her I said that," Joe said with a small smile. "College will offer a lot of temptations for you both. How often do high school romances last?" he finished, sadly.

Frank swallowed hard as the implication of Joe's words hit him. Something about them just struck him as wrong, though, somehow. "I hear you," he said, surprised at himself for having a heart-to-heart with his brother out of the blue. Normally, Callie was the one subject he wanted to keep private, but he really longed for Joe's advice now. After all, his brother was the more experienced one in the romance area. "But I can't agree," he went on, turning to his brother. "You don't understand. I… KNOW that I want to be with Callie. Am I a complete idiot?! I know this is gonna sound strange, but…" he hesitated.

"But?" Joe asked.

"But I know, with as much certainty as I have ever known anything in my life, that…" Frank felt the color rise to his cheeks as he revealed this to Joe, "that I'm going to marry her. I have no doubt in my mind. Not now; not till we finish college. And, I know that things might come between us- people, places, unforeseen circumstances- but I KNOW it, Joe. That's why I feel so horrible that I'm even thinking about anyone else."

Joe didn't laugh at his brother. He didn't feel a need to make fun of him or to tell him that he was wrong. If there was one thing he did know, it was that Frank never said anything unless he sincerely meant it, or felt it. He was the most genuine person he knew. "Okay, then," Joe said with a nod.

Frank, embarrassed, finally looked at him again.

"Okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Joe said with a smile. "You know, Frank, I somehow believe you."

"You do?" Frank asked, in disbelief. He had been waiting for Joe to tear into him.

Joe nodded. He replied, "I DO know what you mean. I don't know if you'll date anyone else; part of me thinks that you should. But I can't see anyone ever treating you better than Callie, or you feeling any stronger towards anyone. I guess a lot of people think you'll get married, but they don't say anything. But, that's a long way off," Joe reminded his brother. "And in the meantime, if you want to part ways, you better tell Callie that first. Anything else would be awful, and I _won't _let you do it," Joe said evenly. "Callie doesn't deserve that."

Frank nodded, hanging onto Joe's every word. It was a difficult position, that of advice-giver, for Joe to be in. But, he felt good, because he knew he could help his brother.

He continued. "Look, Frank, Callie is a great girl. I'm not telling you NOT to get with Jenna, although I really don't like her," he said, honestly. "I think you're distracted by a pretty face and a great body. But Jenna is like any other girl you're gonna meet when you're way from Callie. So, before you throw away a really rock solid relationship, just think about what you're doing. Because I have a strong feeling that Callie is not the type of girl who will forgive easily, if at all, when you hurt her. She's giving you all the room in the world," he went on, knowing his words were hurting his brother, but that someone had to tell him, "and if you don't see that Callie knows you're into Jenna, you're blind."

Joe watched his brother get noticeably upset, but he didn't try to comfort him, yet.

"She does?" Frank whispered.

"Yeah, Frank, obviously," Joe said. "Why do you think Vanessa and I are on your case so much about it? Don't be foolish," Joe said, completing his thought. "'Cause I'm telling you, big brother, YOU may want to marry her somewhere down the line, but don't expect HER to be available. You may have noticed that Callie already has men lining up to take your place," he finished, referring to Dave.

Frank rubbed his forehead, a million thoughts swimming through his mind. He felt tears spring to his eyes, which he quickly wiped away. The thought of hurting the person he loved most was unfathomable to him. Joe was right- he WAS being stupid. He sighed heavily.

Joe put an arm around Frank's shoulders and gave him a hug. "I'm glad you talked to me, Frank," Joe said sincerely to his brother. "I'll ALWAYS stand behind you, but I'm not going to tiptoe around a problem. If you want honesty, I'll give it to you."

Frank looked up, the stress showing on his face. "I honestly don't know what to do," he said, realizing his hands were shaking.

"You will," Joe said directly. "Listen to your gut, Frank. Your heart. Trust me, wherever it leads you, it won't be the wrong decision. You'll figure it out. Just don't hurt Callie along the way. She deserves better than that."

"I know," Frank whispered, and the train came to a stop.

As the brothers got out, they were instantly greeted by Jenna. "Hey, boys!" she chirped happily to them. She gave them both quick hugs. Joe noticed that Frank didn't seem as enthusiastic to see her as he had last time.

"Is something the matter?" she asked Frank, as they walked along.

"No," he said quietly. "It's just been a long day."

"Well, how did your girlfriend like her trip to Georgetown today?" Jenna questioned.

Frank was surprised, having forgotten he had told her that Callie was going there. "She had a nice time," he replied.

"I hear there are lots of hot guys over there," she cooed.

Joe winced, feeling he had to cut this off. "Hey Jenna?" he asked her. "Where exactly are we going? There are tons of museums around and, although the Chief told us we could get in where we wanted, it might be nice to think of somewhere to go."

Jenna paused. "Well," she said at last. "I'm not sure. We know that so far three museums have been hit; The National Air and Space Museum, which left behind a green envelope; The International Gallery, which left behind a blue envelope; and The Babe Ruth Museum, which left behind an orange envelope. Maybe we can try to figure out why that's important, along with what "AGIB" and "So Defendants Will Prevail" means."

Joe tried not to be impatient. "Yeah, I know that Jenna," he replied. "But where do you want to go to do this?"

"I think any basement facility should be pretty much constructed the same," Frank cut in.

"Not necessarily, Frank, although that's a good idea," Jenna said with a bright smile.

Joe choked back his anger watching Jenna flirt with Frank. _Oh, well_, he thought. _It's in Frank's court now. I told him what I think_.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Frank asked her.

"Actually," she replied, "I was thinking that since we're staring off, we might check out D.C.'s most popular museum, the National Museum of American History. It's so awesome- they have everything there from Dorothy's ruby shoes in the _Wizard of Oz_, to Archie Bunker's chair from _All in the Family_. I mean, I have no idea where the next strike will be, but there's got to be a good chance that this museum will eventually get hit- the items there are incredibly valuable, and popular as well."

Joe nodded in agreement. That, at last, was a pretty good idea.

When they reached the Museum, Jenna was able to gain access for them through the museum officials unto the basement floor. She introduced the Hardys as her new friends who were starting up as tour guides soon. Joe was surprised that they passed by virtually un-noticed, although he was pretty certain that there were undercover FBI agents milling around, just in case.

Unfortunately, the basement of the Museum was extremely large, making it virtually impossible to patrol all areas at all times. Sometimes staying together, and sometimes splitting up, Jenna, Frank, and Joe circled the huge basement, along with the occasional FBI agent and police officers. As of 3:00 a.m., nothing had happened, and they were all getting tired. They decided to rest for a while in a remote corner, each taking watch at intervals.

When Joe dozed off, Frank fully expected Jenna to be sleeping as well. Much to his surprise, she came up next to him, cuddling into his shoulder. Frank suddenly felt ill at ease.

"Hey," he said quietly to her, "You should try and get some sleep. We might be here awhile."

Jenna looked up at him, pushing her long, dark hair back from her face. "I don't know," she said softly, meeting his eyes. "I'm pretty comfortable right here, if it's okay with you." She continued to look up into his eyes, and tilted her face up to his.

Frank froze, taken by how beautiful she looked under the soft lights. He felt his heart start pounding in his chest. It would be so easy, _so easy_, to take her in his arms and kiss her, right then and there. Clearly, from the look in her eyes, that was not only what she wanted, but what she expected.

"Frank?" she whispered softly, reaching up to touch his face.

Frank closed his eyes, and heard Joe's voice in the back of his mind. _"Listen to your gut, Frank. Your heart. Trust me, wherever it leads you, it won't be the wrong decision. You'll figure it out."_

And then, Frank knew, as a calmness passed over him.

He leaned in to tell Jenna his decision.

And then…. Frank heard it.

The screaming.

The scuffles.

The broken glass.

He saw it…..

The lights going out.

He felt it…

Jenna clinging to him.

A sudden, blinding pain as something very hard came in contact with his head.

And then….

There was nothing.


	10. Chapter 10

_You have all been so nice with your reviews. Thank you so much. I will try to contact you individually to thank you as well within the week. Alicia, LOL!!! That was one of the funnier responses that I have ever seen! Thanks for the laugh!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 10

As the lights blinked back on, there was pandemonium as Joe looked wildly around him. He had been awakened by the sounds of screaming and breaking glass, and then by the rush of people around him. Alarms were buzzing repeatedly. Taking a moment to focus, he noticed at once that several people were running to his right, and that another one or two were stopped in a small circle by a post in the corner.

_That's where Frank was_, Joe thought in panic, and ran at once to the spot. In horror, Joe looked down at his brother, who was lying unconscious on the ground, with a large mark on the right side of his forehead that was bleeding heavily. An officer of some sort was stopped beside Frank, trying to help him, and Jenna was crying by his side, holding his hand.

"Apply pressure to the wound," the officer said to Jenna, handing her a towel, "while I get help."

Jenna looked terrified. "B... but it's bloody," she said, looking woozy. "I don't do well with that."

Joe immediately pushed Jenna aside and gratefully took the towel from the Officer, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. As he did so, he willed Frank to open his eyes, but Frank remained immobile.

"What happened?" Joe asked the officer, who looked confused, himself.

"I… I don't know," he stammered. "Things were pretty quiet around here, and then all hell broke loose! Something was taken, probably, over there," he said, motioning to the right, down the corridor. "I guess your brother got in the way or something."

Joe looked up, momentarily puzzled as to how this guy knew that Frank was his brother, and then he remembered that Jenna had briefly introduced them as they had entered earlier in the evening. And, Joe thought, as it dawned on him, this guy was with the D.C. police, so he knew that we're working with the Chief. As he was about to say something, the officer winked at him.

"I have to get going, Joe," he said, verifying that he knew who Joe was. "I have to see what's going on. Stay here. We can call an ambulance for your brother, as soon as we see if anyone else was hurt. I'll be back in a few."

At that moment, Frank's eyes fluttered open, and he moaned softly. He closed his eyes again at once, the light blinding him, and he felt a searing pain as his head starting pounding.

"Frank? Frank? Are you okay? Open your eyes, bro."

Joe's voice pulled him back from the darkness, and weakly he opened his eyes again, looking into Joe's concerned face. He also saw Jenna looking at him, crying.

"H… help me up," he muttered to Joe, who was still holding the towel to Frank's forehead.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Joe responded. "Stay still. I can call an ambulance."

"Don't need ambulance," Frank stuttered. Weakly, he raised a hand to his head. "Wha… what happened?"

Slowly, Joe helped to pull his brother into a sitting position. The cut on his head was still bleeding pretty badly, but Frank reached out and took the towel from Joe, trying to stop the bleeding himself.

"Oh, Frank, are you okay?" Jenna cried, and before Frank could respond, she reached over and gave him two quick kisses on the cheek.

"Jenna, knock it off!" Joe said angrily. "My brother's hurt. Just…. Go find out what's happening or something," he said, knowing it was the only way to get her away. If she thought she was being useful to Frank, she'd pretty much do anything. Joe had her number pretty quickly.

"Oh! Oh, okay," she said, and, with one last glance at Frank, she hurried off to the corner. Joe knew in minutes the police would be arriving, and some special agents as well. He was dying to know what was going on, but, at the moment, he was more concerned with his brother.

"Frank," Joe said slowly, concerned. "You look like you got hit pretty badly by something. Do you remember anything about it?"

"No," Frank said softly, grimacing in pain.

"Okay. Let me get a doctor for you."

"Joe, I'm fine," Frank said weakly, barely able to meet his brother's eyes. His head was throbbing. "I'm not going to the hospital. I want to see what's going on."

"No way!" Joe argued back. "I'LL find out what's going on. I'm… I'm… I'm calling Callie and Vanessa, and I'm having them pick you up and take you to the doctor, OR take you back to the room to get some rest," he said, deciding on his course of action. Gently, he pulled the towel back from Frank's head. Although the cut was still bleeding, Joe was almost positive he wouldn't need stitches.

"It's kinda late," Frank mumbled, slurring his words a bit, but trying to focus. "Girls… they'll be mad," he finished.

Joe snorted despite himself. "Frank, we're in the middle of a big robbery. Alarms are going off; something must have been stolen, and you're hurt. Only you would think they'd be mad about this!" He smiled, but his smiled quickly softened when he saw how pale his brother was.

Giving Frank's hand a quick squeeze, he dialed the girls' room, and woke up Vanessa. After he quickly explained the situation to her, she agreed to hop the Metro over with Callie right away to get to Frank. Knowing they wouldn't be allowed in, Joe told her that he and Frank would be waiting for them outside. He knew that he'd be staying well into the night to find out what had happened, but Frank was in no condition to be there.

As they waited for the girls to arrive, Joe took a few minutes to focus on what was going on around him. Jenna came back a few minutes later, saying that she was unable to get any info because there were so many people around.

"I'll be happy to stay with Frank, though, if _you_ want to try," she said.

"Don't get bloody," he muttered sarcastically under his breath.

"Excuse me?" she asked, looking at him.

Joe sighed. "I said it's a bloody good idea," he said, and headed over to the scene of the crime, leaving Jenna staring in confusion after him.

When Joe arrived at the scene, he immediately saw the police officer who had helped Frank. Deciding it was his best bet to get information, he made his way through the crowd.

'Joe," the officer said, looking at him. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here."

As Joe went to protest, the officer steered him away from the crowd and spoke with him. "Listen," he said softly, "your mission is to work undercover as tour guides. Now, I know you need to know what's going on, but don't you think being here might- I don't know- blow your cover?"

Joe nodded, slowly. The officer was right. Still, he _had _to find out what had happened.

"Meet me in five minutes in the back, and I'll quickly fill you in, okay? By the way, I'm Brian," he added.

Joe smiled. "Nice to meet you. Will do," he replied, and went off to meet the officer in the quieter location.

True to his word, Brian met Joe five minutes later.

"Okay," he whispered, trying to remain discreet. "This is what we know so far. What was taken wasn't the most valuable of items, but, of course, that means it was still worth thousands," he said with a rueful smile. "It was the handcuffs that prisoners were wearing when they tried to escape from Alcatraz prison decades ago. I guess the thieves were right; of all things to be heavily guarded, THAT wouldn't be it."

Joe was puzzled. "Did it have that same saying as the others, and AGIB?" he asked.

"Yeah," Brian responded, looking around nervously. "And it was on a pink envelope this time."

"But you knew all the people in here, didn't you? I mean, doesn't the museum keep track of who's here at all times? If it's an inside job, there's got to be some way of finding out," Joe said.

"Well, there should be, unless someone rigged it, or sneaked in, or STAYED in from a job. I don't know. That's what we're trying to find out," he said to Joe.

Joe smiled. Normally, he didn't have much luck with police officers, as they would turn him away for his age. This guy seemed pretty nice, and it was good to know someone on the force. "Thanks, Brian," Joe said, sincerely. "If anything else comes up, would you let me know? Actually, do you mind if I hang around here for a while? I'll be discreet."

Brian smiled. "Well, pretend not to know me, and you'll be okay," he joked. "How's your brother?" he asked.

Joe groaned. "Oh, man, I forgot about him!" he said ruefully. "He'll be okay. His girlfriend and mine will be taking him back to the hotel for some rest. I should get ready to take him outside. Thanks again for everything," Joe replied.

"Any time," Brian said, and headed back to the investigation.

Joe returned back to Frank, who looked a little better, but still unsteady. It looked like the wound he had sustained had stopped bleeding as heavily. With Jenna's help, they guided Frank outside. Just as they had promised, Vanessa and Callie were waiting for them as close as they could get to the museum.

Joe noticed Jenna, who had her arm firmly around Frank's waist, staring at Callie, checking her out. He had to smile to himself. Even with no makeup, in sweats and a tee shirt with her hair pulled back, Callie had Jenna beat in the looks department, hands down. _Maybe that's because I like Callie and I can't stand Jenna, though_, he thought to himself.

Vanessa immediately ran up to Joe and gave him hug, as Callie went to Frank, sitting beside him on the steps to the museum. Seeing she had nowhere to be, Jenna at last excused herself and returned inside.

As Joe explained to Vanessa what had happened, Callie held Frank's hand. "Hon, are you okay?" she asked with concern, noting the bloody towel. "Let me see," she said, and gently removed his hand.

"That looks like it hurts," she said quietly to him.

"Yeah," Frank said, with a small smile. "It does."

Since Joe had briefly told Vanessa about Frank's injury, Callie had hurriedly put alcohol swabs and bandages from the hotel room's first aid kit in her purse. Although she hadn't known how seriously Frank had been hurt, she was now glad she had done that. Carefully, she removed the towel from Frank's hand and applied the swab, not worried about getting bloody.

"Ow," Frank winced, grabbing for her hand.

"No 'ow,'" Callie replied with a smile, as she helped him clean his cut, and applied a large bandage to his forehead. "You'll thank me later," she said to him.

Frank weakly looked at Callie, his head throbbing. "I see three of you," he managed to get out.

"Um, lucky guy, I guess," she said, and Frank let out a small laugh as well.

"The middle," she said to him.

"Huh?" he asked, still dazed.

"Concentrate on the 'me' in the middle. That'll help you focus. Don't forget, I know a little about how to get through headaches," she gently reminded him, thinking of her recent ordeal. "Ready to go?" she asked him. "I'll take care of you."

"You always do," Frank replied, feeling a renewed sense of love for his girlfriend, despite his pain. He squeezed her hand.

"Let me… let me just finish cleaning you up," she said, as she gently wiped Frank's cheek with a tissue.

Frank didn't hear the hesitation in her voice, nor did he stop to think that Callie was touching his left cheek, and his injury had been on the right hand side. If he would have stopped, he might have realized that Callie was upset.

She had just finished removing lipstick from Jenna…


	11. Chapter 11

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 11

The next day, as Vanessa was finishing getting dressed, Callie went over to the boys' room. That day, Vanessa and Joe were going to go back to The National Museum of American History, and Callie planned on staying with Frank and making sure that he was okay. The plan was for her to go visit American University, where she had a tour scheduled, while Vanessa and Joe stayed with Frank, and then they would switch places in the early afternoon as soon as she returned.

As Callie walked to Frank's room, she tried to fight back the bad feeling that she was getting about Frank, and the ache in her heart. _This is getting to be too much_, she thought silently. _The obvious interest in Jenna, the phone number, the late night meetings, and… and the lipstick_. Callie, for the first time, was seriously beginning to doubt Frank's honesty. She pushed that thought to the back of her mind, and also the uneasy feeling she got when she thought of going on this tour alone. D.C. wasn't the safest place in the world, but Callie hadn't wanted to bother Vanessa, whom she knew wanted to spend time with Joe. Dave had offered to take her the day before, but Callie felt uneasy about accepting, given Dave's obvious interest in her.

As she went to knock on the door, she noticed it was open a crack. Rather than just going in, she paused to listen to the voice on the phone, rather than interrupting the conversation. Then, she heard Frank's low laugher. And his voice. And-- the name on the other end as Frank said something in reply to it_. Jenna._

Fighting back tears, Callie returned to her room. Vanessa, noticing that Callie looked distraught, immediately stopped putting on make-up and went to her.

"Cal?" she asked, concerned. "What's the matter?"

Callie took a deep breath. She would not tell Vanessa about Frank, because then it would get back to Joe, and eventually to Frank, himself. Looking up at her friend, Callie managed a small smile. "Van?" she asked, gently. "Do you think, maybe, that you could keep an eye on Frank this afternoon? After my tour, I'll meet up with Joe. I just think- I mean, I need to get some things done." Callie fought to make her words sound normal. "This way, you at least get part of the day with Joe, and I can get done what I need to."

Vanessa raised an eyebrow. What on earth could Callie possibly need to do in Washington, D.C., that she would inexplicably remember? Still, something in Callie's eyes made Vanessa KNOW, with absolute certainty, that she should do as Callie requested.

"Yeah, sure," Vanessa said hesitantly. "I'll tell Joe right now that you'll meet up with him later. Didn't you go to see Frank just now?" she asked.

"Um, I never made it," Callie said. "Something came up." She looked pleadingly for Vanessa to understand.

Vanessa didn't understand, but gave Callie's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Ok, Cal," she replied. "I'll head over there right now."

With those words, she left the room. When she was gone, Callie picked up the phone. With trembling hands, she dialed Dave's number, and told him she would meet him at American University….

xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Joe looked questioningly at Vanessa outside his door. "She asked what?" he questioned Vanessa.

"She wants us to stay with Frank this morning, and then for me to stay with him this afternoon," Vanessa responded with a shrug. "She told me she'd hook up with you later in the day. Keep your cell phone on," she added.

"But why?" Joe asked, puzzled.

"I have no idea," Vanessa said honestly. "But she seemed… I don't know… upset by something. I have to do this. I'm sorry, baby."

Joe smiled, and gave Vanessa a big hug. "There's nothing to be sorry about," he said, "although I am curious about why Callie wouldn't want to spend some quiet time with Frank. Did she tell him that?"

"She said she never made it," Vanessa answered him.

Joe peered inside their door. Frank was resting on the bed. He had no idea why Callie wouldn't have stopped in. Then again, he had been in the shower fifteen minutes ago. "Alright, Van," he said, drawing her into his arms and kissing her. "I'll try to make it through the day without you."

Vanessa just smiled, enjoying the moment.

xoxoxoxoxoxoox

Several hours later, Callie had completed her tour of American University. As upset as she had been, she had to admit it was nice to have Dave around. He was funny and attentive, and seemed genuinely interested in her. Callie noticed several people stopping to stare at them as they walked along, and she smiled thinking that Dave was, indeed, exceptionally good looking. Still, every time he stopped to look at her, or to touch her in a friendly gesture, she found herself wishing it was Frank, instead. Unfortunately, Frank seemed more interested in Jenna at the moment.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, as they started to walk to the Metro.

Callie looked up at him, lost for a moment in his deep blue eyes. She smiled slowly, glad to have found a new friend at a time when she really needed one.

"Nah," Callie said back to him. "My thoughts are worth more than a penny."

Laughing, he replied, "So sorry, my lady," and winked at her. "Is something wrong? You're more quiet than usual. Trouble in paradise?"

Callie looked up, shocked. How could he have known that? "Um…. sort of," she admitted. "But I'm sure everything will work out," she finished, hoping for her words to come true.

"It's that girl, right? The one he was talking to in the restaurant?" Dave asked, as they continued walking.

Finally, Callie had to stop. She said softly, "He… he says there's nothing going on, and…I believe him," she said slowly, knowing there was no need to confess her true fears to a total stranger.

"Well, I think he'd be a fool to let you go," Dave said gently to her, turning her around. Then, without warning, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

"Wha… what are you doing?!" Callie cried, her face bright red. She felt tears start to burn in her eyes as she struggled away from him. "I thought you were my friend!" she added, the tears starting to fall. She couldn't take this betrayal from people she trusted any longer. "I _have _a boyfriend," she sobbed. "And I love HIM. Please- leave me alone!"

With that, she ran as fast as she could away from him.

"Callie, wait!" she heard him call. "I'm sorry!"

She didn't notice that, just a few minutes ago, someone had been watching her every move…

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Close to forty minutes later, Callie caught up to Joe Hardy in the front of the museum, where she had met him just last night. As Joe went to greet her, he could tell instantly that something was wrong. "Callie?" he asked, surprised. "What's the matter?"

As soon as Callie saw him, she started to cry, unable to take it any longer. Normally, she made an effort never to cry, but she couldn't help it.

Joe just reached out for her, and pulled her into a tight embrace. Callie always held it together, and he couldn't imagine what was wrong. After a few minutes, she pulled back from him. "Thanks," she whispered, ashamed.

"Cal, what's the matter?" he asked her again.

Callie _almost_ told him. She wanted to spill everything that happened, but she knew it would only bring trouble. Either Joe would tell Frank, or Joe would kill Dave, or Joe would tell Frank, who would in turn kill Dave- no option was particularly good. Resting her head against his shoulder, she just sighed. "Nothing, Joe. I've just had an awful, horrible day."

"Why?" Joe asked her again. The look in her eyes, though, told him that she wasn't going to say anything.

Joe smiled kindly at her, and slipped an arm around her shoulders as they walked. "When you want to talk, I'll be here, okay?" he said to her, sincerely. "And if you don't want me to tell Vanessa, or my brother," he added, pointedly, "I won't."

Callie smiled, and hugged Joe around his waist. For all the years they'd spent fighting, getting on each other's nerves, and misunderstanding one another, Joe was proving to possibly be the best friend she had. She just wished she didn't miss his brother, her _real _best friend, so desperately. "Thanks, Joe. For a silly, stubborn, thick-headed, dumb-blonde, you're not so bad," she teased him.

Joe laughed, and playfully squeezed Callie's shoulders. "I guess it takes one to know one," he replied, eyes sparkling.

"So what did you find out today? Anything new?" Callie asked him, eager to take her mind off everything.

"Well, I did see something. Maybe you could help with it," he added.

"Sure! What is it?" she replied.

Joe looked at her, and smiled. "Well," he began, "I checked out the Museum of Natural History, the International Gallery, and the National Air and Space Museum. I noticed that all of the artifacts that were taken were on a weird sort of stand, or pedestal. It looked kind of like a wooden stand, with a glass case on top. Now, I don't know if that's unusual or not, but it IS something to think about. How about we head over to the Babe Ruth Museum? It's kind of a longish ride, but we could see if that was the _case _there, no pun intended!" He laughed. "Then…" Joe squinted at her, "If you're nice, I'll buy you dinner."

Callie laughed, and replied, "Sure I'll go. But where will you take me to dinner? Wendys? McDonalds? Burger King?"

Joe looked at her seriously. "I know- so many choices. Never say I didn't give you anything," he added.

"I'll give you something," Callie replied, jokingly waiving her fist at him.

"I said to be nice!" Joe responded with a grin.

Several hours later, Joe and Callie returned from Baltimore. Joe had, in fact, been correct. The baseball that had been stolen was in a very similar case to that of the other thefts. It was getting late, and they decided to head back to the hotel. Periodically, throughout the day, Joe had checked in with both Vanessa and Frank. He had noticed that Callie never seemed to be around when he was speaking to Frank.

Finally, as they headed onto the Metro, Joe decided to give Vanessa one last call before they headed back, to let Frank and Vanessa know they were on their way.

As soon as he heard Vanessa's voice, he knew something was wrong.

"Oh, Joe, hurry!" she said, as soon as he called her. "Frank and I are waiting for you! There's been another robbery!"


	12. Chapter 12

_Thank you for your lovely reviews. I love to read them and you all make my day!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 12

Within a half an hour, Joe and Callie arrived back at the hotel. Hurriedly, they ran to their rooms, where they found Vanessa and Frank eagerly awaiting their arrival. Joe noticed at once that although his brother still looked a bit pale, he seemed to be in much better spirits than he had been the night before. _I guess a day of rest really did him good_, he thought happily.

"I'm so glad you're back!" Vanessa said to them as they entered the room. "You guys were gone forever! Did you find anything out?" she asked, as she gave Joe a quick kiss in greeting.

"Actually, we might have," Joe responded with a smile. He went on to tell his brother and Vanessa about his theory that the physical cases around which all the thefts had occurred seemed to be somewhat similar. He found himself reinforcing the idea that he didn't know if that actually meant something, but it was a bit of a coincidence, nonetheless.

Agreeing that they should discuss all the facts of the case thus far, Joe and Vanessa headed down to the lobby to get sodas and chips, promising that they would return in a few minutes. At that time, Frank and Vanessa could tell both Joe and Callie about the latest robbery.

Sitting alone with Frank, Callie felt decidedly uncomfortable for the first time in her life. She wanted to tell Frank all about what had happened with Dave, even though she knew he'd be upset. Still, as she opened her mouth to speak, she found she couldn't talk. Thoughts of Frank with Jenna began to overwhelm her, and she was continuing to try giving him the benefit of the doubt, as hard as it was.

"How're you feeling?" she asked him, as soon as Joe and Vanessa left the room.

Frank smiled at her, and sat down next to her at the table across from his bed, reaching for her hand. "Ah, I'm okay," he said to her, and linked his fingers through hers. "Thanks for helping me last night. As usual, you came through. What did I ever do to deserve you?" he added with a twinkle in his brown eyes.

In spite of herself, Callie felt a smile begin to creep up her face, and she knew it reached her eyes as she looked at him. "I'm just glad you're okay," she responded.

Frank gave her a small wink, and then asked, "So, how was your day? That was a pretty interesting idea that Joe came up with. Wow-- you two have been getting along exceptionally well lately. Should I be afraid or something? You _were_ gone all day," he finished, teasing her.

Callie rolled her eyes. "You found me out, Frank," she said with a smile. "That secret undercover affair I've been having with Joe all these years has finally been exposed."

Frank laughed. "Let's not even joke," he replied.

"And how was your day?" Callie inquired. "Um…I know you're gonna tell us about the robbery in a minute when Joe and Van get back, but what else did you do? Talk to anyone… interesting?" Callie tried to make her voice sound casual, while deep down secretly praying that Frank wouldn't lie to her. She wasn't disappointed.

"Well, I spoke to Jenna, although I wouldn't call say it was particularly interesting," Frank said honestly. "She called this morning to see how I was. She told me that she might drop by tonight, as a matter of fact, so we could all compare notes." Seeing that Callie was making an effort to remain neutral, Frank's expression softened. Gently, he reached out to touch Callie's cheek. "But I told her that I'd only talk to her if you were here. I wouldn't want her to get the wrong idea about anything."

"Really?" Callie asked softly, biting her lip.

"Yeah, really," Frank responded with a smile, and leaned over to kiss her tenderly.

At that moment, all thoughts of Jenna Barkalow vanished from Callie's mind. At that moment as well, Joe and Vanessa walked through the door.

Joe let out a loud whistle when he saw them, and Vanessa chimed in with "OOOOOHHHH," teasing them.

"We can't leave you two alone for a minute!" Joe sighed in mock exaggeration, secretly pleased that Callie and Frank seemed to be back on track. Callie blushed deeply, but Frank, to her surprise, didn't. Instead, her normally reserved boyfriend reached over to hug her, and said to his brother, "Get lost for a few more minutes!" Callie was shocked at Frank's outward display of affection, but she found herself happier than she had been since they first arrived.

Covering his mouth and pretending to be embarrassed, Joe finally laughed out loud and tossed both Frank and Callie a soda. Then, sitting next to Vanessa, he said to her, "Okay, spill it. What robbery occurred? Van? Frank? Callie and I have been patiently waiting." With that, he started munching on potato chips as he awaited their response.

"Okay," Frank began, sitting back in his chair. "Vanessa and I were talking when you were gone. If you can find records of daily events in the Library of Congress, why couldn't we look it up on the computer? Everything nowadays is computerized. The records would have to be updated daily."

Joe smiled, and replied, "I should have known my computer whiz girlfriend and brother would think of that," he said wryly.

"So that's what we did," Vanessa cut in. "And guess what? Just several hours ago, a theft occurred at the United Sates Holocaust Memorial Museum, if you can believe that. It's hard to find REALLY recent information listed as of yet, but it appears to be the same pattern.

"What was taken this time?" Callie asked in curiosity.

Vanessa furrowed her brows in concentration, as if trying to make sense of it as she spoke. "Well, it's really strange," she said, thoughtfully. "There were several original records that were kept by a man named Timothy Kohl in Germany during that time. He would keep track of Jewish prisoners, and often exchange them for money or goods. He'd get the cash, and those poor people were often made to be servants of some kind. They couldn't rightly refuse, because the alternative was horrific- concentration camps."

"So he worked for the German government," Callie responded, listening.

"True," Frank responded. "But what he was doing wasn't exactly legal. He'd service the higher ups in the German government, claiming that these people wanted to redeem themselves, and convert to Christianity." Frank's eyes darkened as he thought of the ordeal these people must have gone through, just to stay alive. "So what did the German officials care? They got cheap labor, and if they weren't good enough….well, they were easily disposed of for something better to come along."

Vanessa shuddered as she thought about it, and the four were silent for a moment.

Callie spoke up first. "So, the records that were stolen were of money changing hands in a secret fashion," she concluded, and Joe nodded in agreement.

"Let me give Brian a call and see what else fits," Joe said to the group. His friend, the officer, had been kind enough to give Joe his personal phone number. With the amount of overtime that these cases were offering, Joe was pretty much willing to bet that Brian might know something about it.

"Who?" Frank asked.

"A friend of mine in the police department," Joe answered his brother. "He happened to have helped you out the other night, although I doubt you remember it," he had to add.

Joe picked up the phone and dialed Brian's number. To his surprise, Brian answered it. After waiting for Brian to get to a quiet location to talk, he filled Joe in on as much as he knew. A few minutes later, Joe hung up, and addressed everyone in the room.

"Well, this is what he said," Joe began. "The _case _was the same, or similar to the others-- I asked him that. Everything else matches to a "T"- the "AGIB," and the note, "So Defendants Will Prevail." This time, it was left on a Yellow envelope. And, again, although this was pretty valuable, it doesn't appear to be the most valuable item there by any means. This is kind of confusing," he concluded.

"Yeah, it is," Vanessa responded.

"Maybe we ought to lay out what we DO know," Callie suggested. "It seems like we always do better when the facts are laid out in front of us."

"Good idea," Frank answered her with a warm smile.

As they were about to do that, there was a knock on the door.

"That must be Jenna," Frank said, and went to answer it. He was right.

After a few moments, they all sat down and tried to compare notes. Joe couldn't help but to notice that Jenna was particularly distant and colder to Callie than she had been in the past. It didn't even look like she was pretending to get along with her. He had to smile, though, when he noticed that Callie didn't look like she cared. _Good, Cal_, he thought. _She's not worth your time._ He also noticed that although Frank was polite as always, he kept a lot closer to Callie than he did to Jenna. Satisfied that things were slowly returning to normal, Joe began to speak.

"Okay, guys," he said. "Let's start with the facts." He made a list, as he always did. Frank had started him on that habit, and he learned that it did often help him. He was a lot more visual than he had originally thought.

"Let's start with the Museums, and the color of the envelopes," Callie suggested, and Joe wrote as she spoke.

_The National Air and Space Museum- Green envelope_

_The Babe Ruth Museum- Orange envelope_

_The International Gallery- Blue envelope_

_The National Museum of American History- Pink envelope_

_The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum- Yellow envelope._

"All right," Frank interjected. "So we have those. Now, let's list what was taken from each."

Again, Joe wrote.

_Original plane designs_

_The last homerun ball Ruth hit_

_Painting, called "Refugees"_

_Handcuffs, from Alcatraz prison_

_Secret records of money switching hands_

"Plus, we have the word, or acronym, "AGIB," and the saying, "So Defendants Will Prevail," Jenna said, trying to get in a word.

"And, the cases in which these artifacts have been contained all seem pretty similar," Vanessa added.

"And it looks like it's an inside job. I mean, it's got to be, right?!" Joe responded. Sighing heavily, he said, "I have no idea what this means."

Callie gave him a supportive smile. "Well, Joe, at least it's laid out. I'm sure there's a pattern. I mean, the 'defendants' part seems to indicate that, at least," she said.

"Hmmm…" Frank pondered. "That's true, Cal. I guess we'll have to work on that angle."

Vanessa yawned, and they all realized that it was late- almost 1:00 in the morning- and they decided to go to bed.

"I guess I'll get going, then," Jenna said. "I'll just walk to the Metro by myself. It's only a five minute walk from here." She looked longingly at Frank.

Callie bit her tongue, and sighed inwardly. This girl was really getting on her nerves. But, Callie knew with absolute certainty that Frank, and Joe as well, would never let a girl go alone in a city, especially since it could be dangerous. So, she decided to be gracious. "I'm sure Frank will take you to the stop," Callie said to her.

Frank, Vanessa, and Joe all looked at her, shocked. "Oh, okay," Frank said at last. "That's fine. Do you want to come with me?" he asked.

Callie smiled, grateful for the invitation. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm a little tired myself. Go ahead. I'm sure you'll be back soon." With that, she gave Frank a quick kiss on the cheek and said, "Goodnight."

Frank smiled, and got up to take Jenna to the station. He couldn't help but to be grateful for how much Callie trusted him, and how understanding she was. On the way to the Metro, Jenna was unusually quiet, barely speaking. When they arrived and were waiting for the train, she finally turned to him.

"Oh, Frank," she said mournfully. "I… I need to tell you something. I've been struggling with it all night, but I care about you- and I think you should know."

Frank raised an eyebrow at her. He had no idea what Jenna was going to come out with, and he wasn't really even sure that he wanted to find out. "Okay," he said, slowly.

"It's about… well, it's about Callie," she said, dramatically.

"What about her?" Frank asked, uncomfortable already.

"I… I was out earlier today, sightseeing, and I happened to be by American University."

"Uh huh," Frank muttered.

"And I was just innocently taking pictures; you know, Washington is so pretty this time of year," she added.

"Jenna, is there a point to this?" Frank had to ask at last. Although he still found Jenna very attractive, she no longer held any special appeal for him. Frank knew how lucky he was to have Callie, and he really wasn't interested in anyone else.

The train started to approach, and slowed down for Jenna to board. Jenna took a quick glance at the train getting ready to stop. "I snapped this picture, Frank. I just thought you should see it!" Before she handed Frank the picture, she leaned up and kissed him. Frank was too stunned to move.

"Wha..?" he began, but Jenna had turned and boarded the train.

Slowly, he looked at the picture in his hand, and his face drained of color. He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him as he felt his hands start to tremble.

"No," he whispered.

But pictures didn't lie. And there was Callie, locked in a passionate embrace with Dave from Georgetown.

He sat down on the bench in disbelief as the train started away…


	13. Chapter 13

_Melissa and TiFal, thanks, as always, for your great reviews. I appreciate them!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 13

The next day, the plan was for Joe and Vanessa to check out the Museums one more time, while Frank and Callie would work on seeing if they could somehow connect the facts that they already knew. However, as Joe was getting ready to get the girls, he heard Frank's voice.

"Wait, Joe," he said.

Joe turned around, awaiting his brother's response. He had to admit that he was shocked by Frank's appearance. Although his brother had just gotten out of the shower, he had dark circles under his eyes. It didn't look like he had slept at all.

Concerned, Joe asked, "Frank? Are you okay? You look terrible."

"I'm okay," Frank said, but his eyes betrayed his words. Joe didn't push the issue, but clearly something had happened last night to make his brother upset. That _had _to be it. In their hotel room the previous night, Frank had seemed fine. Actually, he had seemed more than that- he looked happy, and in love, the way Joe was used to seeing him. Now, however, he looked clearly upset, and Joe had a feeling that whatever it was, it somehow had to do with Jenna.

"What did you want, then?" Joe asked. "I've got to get Van if we're going to be heading to the museums."

"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about," Frank replied.

Curious, Joe looked at him and asked, "Yes?"

Frank looked uncomfortable, but spoke anyway. "Listen, Joe. I'd really like to check out the museums with you. We're more skilled in investigations. The girls can stay here and see what they can figure out."

Joe was surprised. Personally, he had been looking forward to spending some time with Vanessa, and he was almost positive that Frank would want to be with Callie. "Um, why?" he had to ask.

"Because," Frank answered, simply.

Joe met Frank's eyes, tired of all these games. In this trip, he'd watched Frank go on an emotional roller-coaster, but, somehow, they'd gotten closer. Still, he had a feeling Frank wasn't about to go further at the moment. He had to try, though. With a sigh, he looked at his brother. "You're not going to tell me what's wrong, are you?"

Frank, tired of lying and emotionally drained, could only reply, "Nope."

"And it has to do with Jenna, right?" Joe kept up.

"Yup."

"And Callie?" he insisted. "I thought things were going better with you two!"

To Joe's shock, he thought he saw Frank get teary-eyed as he tried to evade the question. Feeling badly, Joe dropped the subject. "Okay, bro. I'll tell the girls about the switch in plans."

Frank nodded silently, grateful for the reprieve, as Joe headed out the door.

Having a few minutes to himself, Frank sat down on the bed, and wiped back the tears that had begun to form in his eyes. He'd be mortified if Joe saw him cry, and he just hoped he'd be able to hold it all together, even for a little while, until he could honestly decide what to do.

Frank had to admit that he'd never felt so- _empty-_ before in his entire life. Somehow, all the thoughts he had considered over the past few days seemed silly and trite. How could he have even thought about leaving Callie? She was everything to him- trustworthy, honest, funny, and unquestioningly, at least until this point, loyal. He had stayed up all night, totally flustered. Never, in a million years, would he even _think_ about Callie's devotion to him. Had he really treated her that badly? Had he thrown her into someone else's arms?

_No_, he said angrily to himself, _this is NOT my fault. _But, a nagging thought in the back of his mind said otherwise. In all the time they'd been together, Callie trusted him completely; he had always felt that. She didn't question him when he was gone for weeks on a case, or when girls called him or flirted with him. As a matter of fact, she had always given him his freedom. Ironically, that was what perhaps made him want to be with her the most. _Was that because she was out with other guys?_ he couldn't help but to question.

And now, faced with the reality that this might really be IT with Callie, he had no idea what to do. Next to Joe, Callie was really his best friend in the world. She knew his secrets, his shortcomings, his insecurities; yet, she loved him just the same, and without condition. When he was upset or angry, he often went to her before Joe, and she was generally able to calm him down before he talked to his brother. When something good happened, or he was happy, Callie was the person he went to in order to share that. He loved her, and he always had. None of this- absolutely _none _of it- made any sense. Why would she do this to him?

With a heavy sigh, Frank lay back on the bed, trying not to think of it. However, the harder he tried, the more he saw Callie's face- first smiling, happy, and supportive. Then came that picture, the one with her and Dave, which he'd practically memorized, although it made him sick.

At once, Frank reached into his pocket for the photograph, and crumpled it up, throwing it in a ball on the dresser. To look at it again would be to validate that it was real. He simply couldn't do it any longer.

At that moment, Joe entered the room. "Ready to go?" he asked, looking at his brother, who was plopped on the bed.

"Yeah," Frank said softly, getting up. " Let's solve this case, huh?" He headed out the door, determined to do something- anything- to keep his mind busy, since his heart didn't seem to be doing so well.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Throughout the day, Frank and Joe retraced their steps, checking and rechecking their progress as they went along. They spent hours looking over records of insiders and people who had access to the museums, but the lists were often so long or complicated that they revealed virtually no new information. It seemed like ANYONE would be able to gain access to these museums; all it took was an ability to take a test.

"I just don't understand why these would have started so recently," Frank grumbled to his brother. "I mean, I guess we could go through applications for tour guides in the last year, but that list would be kind of extensive."

Joe sighed. "Kind of extensive? Frank, there are thousands of applications through the federal government each year for everything from high school volunteers to people who really want to be in law enforcement, to historians. Do you know how long that would take? It's a gigantic task, like saying the Grand Canyon is just a giant hole in the ground! We can't do that."

"I know," Frank said, disappointed.

"Well, what Museums haven't been hit?" Joe asked, surprised he hadn't thought to ask that before.

Now it was Frank's turn to look at his brother in amazement. "About 10,000," he replied sarcastically.

"Whatever," Joe said, shrugging off his brother's remark. "There are a lot of museums around here, but not THAT many! There can't be over fifty in the surrounding area. Besides, almost all of them, with the exception of the Babe Ruth Museum, took place around the Mall area. Wouldn't you agree that's a good place to start?"

Frank nodded. He spoke to Joe. "I'm sorry, Joe. I didn't mean to snap at you. That's a really good idea, actually. I just wish we knew which one to start with."

Joe smiled, glad to have his brother's approval. "I'll call the girls," he said to his brother. "Maybe they have some ideas. Do you want to talk to Callie?"

"N…no. Not right now," Frank said.

Joe was surprised, and he was also upset, seeing how upset Frank looked. He couldn't imagine what had been going on. "Okay," he said lightly, trying to avoid the subject. "I'll be right back."

With that, he went outside and dialed the girls' room on his cell. Callie answered.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hey, Cal," he answered. "It's Joe."

"Really?" Callie teased. "I thought some random guy just got our number."

She sounded happy and vibrant, the way she normally did. Maybe she didn't know that Frank was upset. Joe started to contemplate that, but then stopped himself. He could worry about that later. For right now, he had a feeling he was onto something. "Cal?" he began. "Listen, Frank and I might be onto a lead. We have some ideas we're checking out. We were just wondering if you found out anything."

There was a pause, but Callie came back a moment later. "Um… well, we've been trying to figure that out all day. We have some theories. But- they're kind of stupid sounding at the moment."

"Go ahead," Joe prodded. Anything was better than nothing at all.

"Well," Callie slowly began, "You asked! Vanessa and I have no idea about the colors or why the museums were hit, so we decided to look at WHAT was taken, you know? We tried to find a pattern to it."

"Did you?" he asked.

"Like I said, this is going to sound silly," she said in reply. "But here ya go. With the exception of the baseball, all the items seem to have something to do with, like, prison or escape, right? You have original plane designs, which could indicate a flight away. Handcuffs are obvious. The "Refugee" painting has to do with escape. Even the silly thing with the money changing hands- in that case, the prisoners couldn't escape. Um, the baseball?! I have no clue. Maybe it was Ruth's final escape from the Park, or escape from greatness."

When Joe didn't respond, Callie felt herself blush. "I told you it was silly," she said, after a minute.

"No, actually, that's a great thought!" Joe said with admiration. He laughed. "It's a bit of a stretch, but – original. I like that! Did you or Vanessa come up with that?!"

"We both did," he heard Callie say.

"Tell her I'll give her a big kiss for that later!" Joe joked with Callie. He could practically see her rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, it'll give her plenty of time to escape!" Callie quipped back, amused. She was happy Joe hadn't laughed at them.

"Bye, Cal," Joe said with a smile, and hung up the phone.

A few minutes later, Joe returned to see his brother, and told him the girls' theory. Frank pondered it for a minute, and then smiled despite himself. "That's …. Different," he said at last.

"Yeah, I know," Joe said, thinking the same thing. "But I'll be darned if they're not right more often than not, and maybe there IS something to it."

Frank nodded. "Maybe," he said.

"And if it's true, and you were a criminal, what museum would you hit?" Joe asked.

"I think the bigger question is WHY would they do this? If we're not reading into it too much, and the girls are right, we have yet another case of criminals who are leaving messages. But why?!!" Frank was growing frustrated. The brand of criminals against whom they were pitted lately were very smart, making them very dangerous.

"Maybe they're leaving clues for us?" Joe asked.

"Nah," Frank said. "Not for US. We're not important. But someone is. Last night, Callie…" he paused, as the sound of her name reminded him of everything, "she, uh, mentioned that the use of the word "defendants" might be significant. Maybe she's right. I mean, some defendants do…escape…" Frank's eyes lit up as he tried to make the connection.

Joe caught on at once. "I see where you're going with this," Joe said at once. "Maybe they 'prevailed' or something. Good idea!"

"Yeah, thanks," Frank said with a smile. "That still doesn't help us figure out anything yet, though."

"Yet," Joe repeated.

Frank smiled.

"So anyway, if you're a criminal, and you want to hit a fairly popular museum, where would you go? What would mention 'escape'?" Joe asked.

"I don't know, but we should look at that angle," Frank replied.

After searching directories for a listing of Museums in the Mall area, and trying to make the connection, first Frank, then Joe, looked at each other.

"What's the most popular Museum in D.C., or one of the most?" Frank asked excitedly.

"The Smithsonian!" Joe exclaimed. "The American Art Museum is pretty popular. I'm SURE they have to have something, some painting or drawing, having to do with escape, right?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Frank said.

"Well, I guess that's where we'll be spending the night, then," Joe finished.

Giving each other a high- five, the brothers set out for the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, hoping to crack this case at last.


	14. Chapter 14

_Melissa, you may very well be one of only about five people reading this! :) So-- a big thanks as always for your nice reviews. I hope anyone else reading is enjoying. Thanks!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 14

Later that same day, Vanessa and Callie were sitting on the floor of their hotel room, growing board. They had spoken with Joe earlier, and he had told them that they wouldn't be returning that night deciding, instead, to check out the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Although the girls were glad that Frank and Joe had decided to take their theory seriously, they were growing restless.

"Uh, you want to play _Monopoly_ again?" Vanessa asked Callie.

Callie sighed, and offered Vanessa a small smile. "Vanessa, why would I want to do that?" she asked. "You've beat me twice already."

"Well, I'm bored," Vanessa grumbled. "So much for a nice vacation with our boyfriends—as usual!"

Callie looked at her friend, who had plopped on the floor. "Van," she said, "try not to be mad at them. This is what they do. You'll get used to it."

Vanessa raised an eyebrow. She replied, "How do you get used to something like that?! Oh, well," she sighed. "Maybe we can call Dave again and see if he'll take us out."

Callie stiffened at once. "N…no," she stammered. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?" Vanessa argued. "He's nice. He knows his way around. He's hot," she said with a smile. "AND- he'll get us out of here for a while."

"No," Callie replied, somewhat more adamantly than she had intended to.

Vanessa sat up. "What's going on, Cal? You go out with him the other day, and now you don't want to see him? What aren't you telling me?" She eyed Callie suspiciously.

"Vanessa, can we drop this?" Callie requested, seriously. "I don't feel comfortable being with him- that's it. I… I'll probably tell you why later, but not now, okay? Come on. Let's see if we can figure anything else out with this case."

Vanessa paused, unsure of what to do. Since when did Callie keep secrets from her? She was about to ask Callie that very thing when there was a knock on the door. Both girls raised their heads.

"Who could that be?" Callie asked, getting up. "The guys are at the Museum."

Vanessa shrugged as Callie went to answer the door.

"Oh," she heard Callie say. "Hi, Jenna."

Vanessa sighed, and stood up next to Callie, arms crossed. _What now_? She thought.

"Can I come in?" Jenna asked.

"Why?" Vanessa answered, at the same time that Callie said, "Okay." They looked at each other. Finally Vanessa relented. "Fine," she mumbled, and ushered Jenna inside.

Jenna looked apologetically at Vanessa, and asked Callie, "Can I speak to you- alone?"

"No!" Vanessa said out loud, but Callie held up her hand to silence her for a moment.

"Please?" Jenna begged. "It's really very important that I talk to you. It… it's about Frank."

"Oh, please," Vanessa mumbled.

"And what happened."

Callie exhaled deeply. Normally, she wasn't into games, and clearly Jenna was playing one. However, slowly, she replied, "Okay—I'll bite. What happened?"

Jenna glanced reluctantly at Vanessa, and Callie rolled her eyes. "Vanessa," she said, "Would you mind leaving us alone for a few minutes? Clearly, there's something very secretive and important that Jenna feels is for my ears alone." The manner in which she said it made Vanessa know that Calllie wasn't taking Jenna seriously, and she felt better about that.

"All right," she said, at last. "But I'll be right back." Hesitantly, she left the room and closed the door. However, something in her told her not to leave the area. Hating herself for doing it, but justifying that she had to do it because she didn't trust Jenna, Vanessa leaned down by the door and listened in.

"Callie, thanks for having me," Jenna said. "I… I just wanted to make sure we were okay with things. I assume Frank told you."

Callie felt her defenses go up at once, and she had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Not knowing if it was because she didn't trust Jenna or she didn't like her, Callie tried to look neutral.

"No, Frank didn't mention anything to me. I haven't seen him since last night, actually," Callie replied steadily.

"Oh," Jenna said, her eyes bright with surprise. "So then you didn't see what time he came back?"

Callie looked up at Jenna, who had a good 4 or 5 inches on her. "No," she said. "I didn't. Then again, you couldn't have either because he dropped you off."

_Good girl_, Vanessa thought, listening in.

"But Callie," Jenna cooed. "I DO know. Because he was with me last night."

Callie felt her heart stop for a minute, as she felt herself being drawn into this game. She tried to keep the upper hand. "What are you getting at?" she questioned at last.

"I thought Frank told you."

"He didn't," Callie said through clenched teeth.

"Oh," Jenna said again, innocently. "It's just that- well- Frank was talking about you last night. And, something happened – Oh, Callie, I feel just horrible!" she moaned.

"What?" Callie asked, feeling her face getting red.

Jenna paused, and then said, "When we were at the tracks last night, I guess the moment struck him as romantic and he--- well, he _kissed _me! I tried to say not to, that he had a girlfriend, but he couldn't seem to help himself. We… wound up spending…," her face took on an excited red hue, "well, let's just say a _good portion_ of the night together after that. I'm so sorry," she added. "I just thought you might want to know."

Callie felt herself begin to tremble, and despite herself, she had to sit down. A million thoughts whirled through her mind. Frank had been so loving last night. Why would he kiss Jenna? Then again, she hadn't seen him come in last night, and he… he seemed to be avoiding her today. Biting her lip, Callie said at last, "That's a lie."

"No, it's not," Jenna said with a smug smile. "Ask him."

Callie felt herself struggling to stay calm. Should she call the bluff or not? At last, she said, "Yeah, I'll do that."

"I guess he just wanted a change. You know, the more sophisticated type in lieu of the country girl. I'm sure he was fond of you, though. That's why he felt badly."

Callie stood up, eyes flashing. "Get the HELL out of my room!" she fired at Jenna.

"Okay," Jenna said, getting up to leave. "But don't be so angry! I did you a favor by telling you! All's fair in love and war!" With that, she spun out of the room. Vanessa had barely just enough time to dodge out of the way.

As soon as she was gone, Vanessa ran back into the room, and found Callie sitting on the bed, rubbing her forehead with shaking hands.

"Oh, Callie!" Vanessa cried, sitting next to her and putting her arms around her friend, hugging her. "I heard everything! She's totally lying! You know Frank would never cheat on you- come on!"

Callie nodded slowly, fighting back the terrible lump in her throat. Through tear-filled eyes, she nodded at Vanessa, unable to speak.

"I'm calling him RIGHT NOW and telling him to get his butt back here, pronto!" she exclaimed.

"Don't do that, Van," Callie managed to whisper. 'I'm sure he's telling the truth." She cleared her throat before she could speak again. "But maybe I could, like, talk to him tomorrow, after the investigation is done."

Vanessa felt Callie's pain, and hugged her again. "I'll tell Joe right now to get Frank," she offered again.

"No!" Callie said, fiercely. "You do NOT know about this. Please. This is between Frank and me."

Vanessa sighed, "Oh, Cal."

"I mean it."

"I know."

"I just want to tell him what Jenna said," Callie said, more gently. "To, uh…" words failed her.

"To verify that Jenna's lying, right?" Vanessa prodded Callie.

Callie paused a moment too long for Vanessa's liking. "Right," she said softly, and then excused herself from the room.


	15. Chapter 15

_What the heck? I decided to post two chapters today. Always a rebel…. :)_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 15

Back at the museum, Frank and Joe decided to be pro-active, searching for any sort of picture or painting that had to do with the idea of escape. Before the museum actually closed to tourists, the brothers had done a fairly thorough job of investigating what was on the main floors, deciding to leave the Basement area for later that evening. They had also notified the local officials of their suspicions, and Chief Pierce had been happy to get some sort of a lead, or at least an educated guess. For that reason, security was slightly more beefed up than usual.

When the museum closed, Frank and Joe decided to split up in a bit, covering different areas along with local cops.

"There's no way there would be a hit tonight," Joe said to Frank. "Look at all the security in the area."

"I guess not," Frank replied, slowly. "But it's not like we said it would happen tonight! They'll have to keep an eye on this place for a while."

"Or until they prove us wrong and another museum gets hit, instead," Joe said wryly. He then added, more seriously, "But it _is_ a good guess. We'll have to thank the girls for their input on that one…. If they forgive us! Anyway, there were a lot of portraits having to do with 'escape'. It's not a totally lame idea."

Frank shrugged. "Well, it's better than nothing, which is what everyone else had," he said. "We just-- ah-- _focused_ the investigation a little more!"

"Sure," Joe said with a smile.

And then…. Just as the museum closed, the lights went off again.

"What the…?!" Joe asked, and he heard panicked cries from employees and tourists alike. The lights were off for no more than three minutes when they came on again.

As the guards rushed to the door, Frank and Joe looked at one another, each thinking the same thought-- get to the basement! They rushed as fast as they could through the back area, and found a small group of about 2 or 3 officers standing around an empty display case. They were looking at each other in amazement.

"What happened?!" Frank asked, already knowing that at least one officer there knew who he was.

Stunned, the officer raised his hands. "How on earth did this happen?" he asked, already dreading getting in trouble with his superiors. "TWO minutes! That's all the lights were out for- TWO minutes! It's impossible to rob anything in that time. B… but they did it," he stammered.

Frank's eyes grew wide. The officer was absolutely right. How could a robbery occur in that amount of time, with a full security team?!

Suddenly, the officer's common sense snapped in. "Wait!" he said at last. "If it just happened, then the perpetrator's got to be here! Secure all areas!" He spoke into his radio and repeated the message, rushing off to check the various areas of the basement, gun drawn. His fellow officers did the same.

Joe looked at his brother, and then at the case in question. Like the others, this case was on a similar stand and, like the others, glass had been broken. This time, there was a Brown envelope, on which the words "AGIB" and "So Defendants Will Prevail" were written. From the inscription on the bottom of the case, he could see that the portrait that had been stolen was entitled, "Swiss Alps- Escape."

He turned to Frank in amazement. "Frank!" he said. "The girls were right! This thing DID have to do with escape!!"

"But what does it all mean?!" Frank asked back, growing increasingly frustrated.

"I don't know," Joe said, excited. "But I have a feeling we'll find out."

All around them, officers were running to and fro. They were willing to bet that for as many officers that were there presently, as many would soon be following, hot on the trail of whomever did this.

"What are the chances of whomever did this escaping?" Joe asked. "Come on. They- or he or she- has got to be in here somewhere! Let's help!"

Frank threw a cautious glance at his brother. They had already been warned to be careful and to stay out of the way. Frank couldn't help but to think that was a good suggestion. Something about having a lot of people with guns drawn and willing to shoot wasn't exactly appealing to his sense of safety.

"Just be careful," Frank warned, and he split up with his brother. Soon Frank found himself on the opposite end of the museum, speaking with an officer about where to possibly look for the thief.

Joe, on the other hand, was getting anxious. He hadn't seen anyone, but it stood to reason that no one could have escaped in the given time frame. _Then again_, he also thought, _No one could have committed a robbery this fast, either._ With that thought in mind, he decided to head back to the area of the theft. Something about the similarity of the containers, or cases, in which all the objects were taken, was starting to irk him.

To his surprise, the area had been left unsecured. _Well, why not? _he then thought. _The only people around here are officers, anyway_. Still, seeing the opportunity, he took a moment to inspect the case. The glass was shattered, as it had been in other instances. Everything looked the same.

Everything, that is, except….

Joe couldn't swear to it, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small burst of color. Going over to the case again, he saw that he hadn't been mistaken. "Huh?" he asked himself, and then he pulled back on the case, noting that the wood frame looked off, for some reason.

Joe gasped out loud when he realized what he had found. "Oh my God!" he shouted. Turning around, he realized that Frank and other officers were heading back in his direction. "Over here, guys, look!" he called, waving them over.

At that very moment, however, there was the sound of something or someone scurrying right next to Joe. In panic, and officer called "Come out!" drawing his gun.

The lights blinked off again and the last thing Frank Hardy saw was a quick flash as a gun was fired, right in the direction of his brother.


	16. Chapter 16

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 16

"Joe!" Frank screamed, as the lights went on. He rushed over to where his brother was lying on the floor next to the case. He was followed immediately by several police officers.

Joe looked up at Frank as his brother arrived next to him, and gave him a shaky smile. "Whew! THAT was close," he said.

Frank stared at him for a second, before offering Joe his hand to help him up. Having done so, he gave him a big hug. "I thought that was IT for a minute!" Frank answered with a shudder.

"Dude, me too. That's why I said it was close!" Joe responded, with a twinkle in his blue eyes.

Frank shook his head at Joe's ability to laugh when he had almost gotten his head blown off. At the same time, an officer asked, "What happened?" as a mouse scurried across the floor.

"A MOUSE?" Joe asked, incredulous. "I almost got killed because of a mouse?" Now, the impact of what happened hit him as a shiver went through his body.

"I guess that's why he didn't answer when the officer shouted to watch out," Frank said, beginning to smile.

"Well, did you find anyone?" Joe asked one of the officers, who shook his head in amazement.

"No! It would be virtually impossible for anyone to escape this place. I don't understand it," he said, puzzled. "Man, the Chief's gonna be all over us for this one!"

"What was so important, anyway?" Frank asked, turning to Joe. "You were waving us over like a madman before you—well, almost got shot," Frank finished.

Joe's eyes lit up as he remembered his discovery. "You guys are not going to believe this," Joe said, excitedly. "But look what I found!" Turning to the case, he showed them the picture that had been hidden in the display case. It contained a mountain, covered with snow.

Frank gasped. "That's the Painting! "Swiss Alps- Escape!" I can't believe it! It wasn't stolen after all!" He gaped at his brother in amazement.

"I know!" Joe said, trying to piece all of it together. "I looked at the cases which were similar in all the thefts. Something about it just struck me as funny. When I went to take a look at it, I discovered that the stand, itself, was hollow. So that means…"

"That means," Frank cut in excitedly, "That this whole thing was rigged! The broken glass case with the note in it must have been set to rise when the original document, or painting, or whatever- was dropped!"

"That's why we couldn't find anyone- because no one was here!" an officer said in awe. "What's the setup?"

Frank's eyes grew wide as an idea hit him. "Guys!" he shouted. "If this particular painting wasn't stolen, and they're all in similar containers…"

Now Joe interrupted. "Then maybe none of the items were stolen!"

He stared at Frank, and the officers looked equally shocked. "You mean- there WERE no thefts?" one asked.

"Well, let's find out!" another joined in.

Close to a half an hour later, officers from accompanying museums had been contacted and had rechecked the original locations of the thefts. To their utter astonishment, every single item was located- right in its original form and container in the hollow cases!

"I… I don't get it," Joe muttered. "I mean, someone had to be in the museums. How else could Frank have gotten hurt?"

"Maybe someone is working the inside angle rigging the stands, and just happened to be there that night," Frank hypothesized.

"But Frank!" Joe said in exasperation. "Never in my life have I seen something like this! Do we even have a case now? I mean, technically nothing has been taken! That means that these messages mean something big, because who one earth would go to all the trouble of sending them- and not take anything?!"

Frank shrugged, perplexed. This was the most bizarre thing he'd ever seen.

After promising to keep in touch with the officers, who were going to continue to try and figure the case out, Frank and Joe decided to head back to the hotel, eager to run the latest news by Callie and Vanessa. They even discussed giving their father, internationally known private investigator Fenton Hardy, a call, to see what he thought. In any event, they were totally confused and needed to start somewhere.

Despite the late hour, Joe decided to knock on the girls' door. He noticed at once that Frank headed into their room first for some reason. To his surprise, Vanessa answered the door at once and crept into the hallway quietly, shutting the door behind her.

"Hey," she said with a soft smile. "We have to talk."

"Do we ever!" Joe replied. "Van, you won't believe what we found out tonight!" He gave her a quick hug, eager to get her and Callie into their room to discuss what had happened.

"Wait!" she said, grabbing onto his hand. "Please, Joe. I have a problem first, and I don't know what to do."

Joe was immediately concerned. Vanessa wasn't a melodramatic person, so if she asked for help, she usually needed it. "What's wrong?" he asked her.

Vanessa motioned him to follow her to the end of the hallway. Normally, she kept her word, but something was telling her that this time might be a good time to _not_ do that. She was really worried about Callie.

"Okay," Vanessa began in a low voice. "Let me tell you what happened today."

Joe nodded, and gently teased her, "Should I get my slippers?" Vanessa was famous for her long-winded stories and jokes, but that's one of the things that Joe found to be most endearing about her.

Vanessa met his eyes. "No. This is the _Reader's Digest_, _Cliff's Notes_, version, okay?"

Joe was instantly alert. "Go ahead," he responded.

Vanessa spoke quickly and quietly. "Okay, I'm NOT supposed to know about this, but here goes. Jenna visited Callie today, and, in her normally snotty way, mentioned that Frank and her had a little fling last night!"

"What?!" Joe said out loud, in shock, and he had to be _shushed _by Vanessa.

"Listen!" Vanessa cut in. "And be quiet-- I don't want either of them to know we're talking about this! Anyway, Jenna said that Frank kissed her and implied that a lot more went on than that, since she was with Frank so long. When did he get back from the train, Joe?" Her eyes pleaded with him to explain.

Joe was confused. "I… well, I don't know," he said, honestly. "I went to sleep right away." Snapping back to reality, he felt a bit defensive of his brother. "Come on, Van! Frank wouldn't do that to Callie- you know that as well as I do!"

"Do I?" Vanessa replied. "More importantly, do _you_?" she asked. "Frank's been all over Jenna and vice versa- you certainly can't deny that. I thought everything was getting better until last night, but…" she faltered, searching for the right words. "Callie's just really devastated, I can tell. You know her- she hides her emotions pretty well, and she even defended Frank to me, but I _know _her. Come on- find out the dirt for me!"

Joe sighed, and wrapped an arm around Vanessa. "I still don't think Frank would do it," he said at last. "But I'll find out what I can." He paused for a minute, thinking.

"What?!" Vanessa pounced on him. "What are you thinking? Come on, spill it!"

Joe laughed in spite of the seriousness of the situation. Vanessa was incredibly impulsive and animated, and he was amused by her enthusiasm. Still, she was right- he _was_ thinking something. "Well," he said, thoughtfully. "Frank was acting weird this morning. He kind of mentioned it had to do with Jenna and Callie, but he wouldn't talk. And then Callie was acting weird yesterday afternoon, when I caught up with her. She…" Joe paused, not wanting to betray Callie's confidence.

Vanessa saw that, but pushed him, gently. "Callie did what?" she asked. "Joe, we're only trying to help them because we care," she reminded him.

With a sigh, Joe told her about how distraught Callie had been, and how she had been in tears.

'But that was BEFORE last night, when Frank and Callie seemed fine," Vanessa said.

"That's a good point," Joe reflected.

"Joe?" Callie asked, coming into the hall, and walking towards him. "What are you doing here?! Aren't you supposed to be at the Museum?!"

Joe and Vanessa shot each other looks, each signaling the other to remain quiet.

"Yeah, Cal, but we found out some amazing stuff tonight," he answered her, "and Frank and I would like to run it by you. Come on- let's go into the room."

"O... Oh," Callie stammered, before regaining her composure. "Sure, okay."

As Callie entered the room with him and Vanessa, Joe realized how powerful knowledge could be. Only the closest observer would have noticed Frank trying not to look like he was avoiding Callie, and Callie doing the same. He was amazed at how ridiculously good his brother and Callie were at disguising their problems.

Callie, however, didn't know that Frank knew about Dave. She had no idea that he had received a rather incriminating, although entirely misconstrued, photograph. All she knew was that Jenna had told her that she and Frank had become intimate, and, of course, Frank had no clue about that. He was thinking over and over again about Callie and Dave, and fighting back disgust at the thought. It was so much harder for him to deal with it as he faced her in person.

As greetings were exchanged, Joe got ready to tell the girls about their findings today with Frank.

He noticed playing cards on the corner of his dresser as he scooted over to let Vanessa in, and couldn't help but to think that this situation with Callie and Frank was a game, waiting to be played out.

Glancing at Vanessa, he couldn't wait to see who would make the first move.


	17. Chapter 17

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 17

After a few moments of awkward silence, Joe spoke up. Clearing his throat, he began to speak. "Okay, Callie, Vanessa-- something very interesting happened today. First of all, there was another robbery."

Vanessa's eyes grew wide. "You mean we were right?" she asked, excitedly. "Where? At the Smithsonian Museum of American History? Were you there? Were you hurt?" Vanessa couldn't wait to find out all of the information.

Callie gave a small smile in spite of herself. "Shhh, Van," she said, gently. "Let Joe finish his story. He's here, so he's fine."

"Oh, yeah," Vanessa said, embarrassed.

"Yeah, that's where it was," Frank said to Vanessa, being careful to avoid looking Callie in the eyes. "Joe almost … well, he got in a little bit of trouble, but that's normal for him." Frank decided against telling Vanessa about Joe almost getting shot, seeing no reason to upset her.

"What was taken?" Callie asked Joe directly, equally avoiding Frank's eyes.

Joe, watching the whole exchange between Frank and Callie take place, tried not to comment, and to concentrate on the case at hand. "Well, here's the thing," he said to her. "At first, it LOOKED like a painting was stolen, entitled "Swiss Alps- Escape." We thought that was appropriate based on your theory that everything stolen had to do with that theme of escape in some way."

"But it wasn't stolen?" Vanessa asked, confused.

"No!" Frank said, shaking his head in amazement. "That's the incredible part! Joe figured out that the cases in which that item, along with the other 'stolen' items, were located, were fakes! They were hollow- nothing was actually stolen! Somehow, they were rigged, so that there was a pre-shattered case with the hidden message on the envelopes inside. That one would rise, and the real item, whatever it happened to be, would simply fall harmlessly into the hollow stand."

"What?!" Callie cried, perplexed. "So nothing was taken? I don't understand!"

"Neither do I," Joe admitted. "Quite frankly, I don't even know if we have a case now."

"But that means that whomever did this was trying to give someone a message on those envelopes, which must mean that the message was pretty important. Still, what a risk to take!" Callie said in wonder.

"Exactly," Joe replied. "Go figure."

"And someone MUST be working an inside angle, if Frank was hit," Vanessa surmised.

"Yup," Frank replied. "There are a whole lot of unanswered questions."

Callie sighed. "I know we've done this already," she pointed out, "but let's take out that list of facts again. Maybe something new will hit us, and we can concentrate on the envelope messages. Clearly, the slogan "So Defendants Will Prevail" means _something_, and so does "AGIB." I have a feeling that all of those supposedly stolen items having to do with escape means something too, although I'll be darned if I have any clue about it," she finished, honestly.

"I agree," Vanessa replied, and asked Joe to get out the list, which he did, adding to the list.

_Museums- Colors_

_1) The National Air and Space Museum- Green envelope_

_2) The Babe Ruth Museum- Orange envelope_

_3) The International Gallery- Blue envelope_

_4) The National Museum of American History- Pink envelope_

_5) The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum- Yellow envelope._

_6) The Smithsonian American Art Museum_

_Items- "Stolen"_

_1) Original plane designs_

_2) The last homerun ball Ruth hit_

_3) Painting, called "Refugees"_

_4) Handcuffs, from Alcatraz prison_

_5) Secret records of money switching hands_

_6) Painting entitled "Swiss Alps- Escape"_

"Okay," Joe said, looking at the list. "Here we go. The question is, where do we begin?"

Vanessa smiled. "Well," she said, "Maybe you and I could try to figure out what the slogans mean, and Frank and Callie could work on looking at the Museums and the colors." Vanessa was trying to discreetly get Frank and Callie talking to each other. Her plan backfired.

"I… I don't think so!" Frank said, more forcefully than he intended to.

Callie looked shocked, but remained silent. _So it's true, _she thought numbly. _He really did cheat on me with Jenna._ She had no idea what to do.

"Why not?" Vanessa asked, pressing the issue. She fully intended to put Frank on the spot and end this now.

"Because maybe Frank has another angle," Joe cut in, trying to stop Vanessa. If there was one thing he knew, it was that Frank _hated _being put on the spot. He'd always talk and listen, but he needed time to sort things through first.

"Yeah," Frank muttered, feeling the color creep into his face. The fact that Callie hadn't even questioned his refusal verified his worst fears, and now he couldn't help but to wonder how long Callie and Dave had been together. He felt sick.

"Fine," Callie replied, softly. "Maybe you'll do better without me, then," she managed to get out, and tried to leave.

Vanessa blocked the door. "Oh, no you don't!" she said forcefully.

"Vanessa, move," Callie said directly, struggling for control. She couldn't believe that Vanessa was doing this to her. She felt a headache begin to form and tried to calm down, remembering her doctor's instructions to _take it easy and avoid stress_. _Right._

"No," Frank responded, surprised at Callie. "I'll go. Try to figure things out with Joe."

Finally, Joe had enough. "Knock it off!" he shouted, and everyone turned to stare at him.

"Vanessa, go outside," he ordered.

"But…"

"Now," he responded again, more firmly.

Knowing Joe meant it, Vanessa did as she was told, closing the door behind her. Joe followed her, but turned around before he left the room. "Look, you two," he said, addressing Frank and Callie. "Enough is enough. You have to talk- now! We have a very serious case to work on, and until you can put whatever personal issues you have aside, nothing is getting done. You have a half an hour- I'm totally serious. Then, if nothing is resolved, why don't you both go back to Bayport?! I'll stay here and solve the case with Vanessa. I'm tired of all these games!" With that, he walked out and slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Frank and Callie staring after him, shocked.

Left alone, the two looked at each other warily, neither one knowing what the other was thinking.

Finally, Callie broke the silence. "Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked at last, dreading the answer.

"Shouldn't I be asking YOU that?" Frank replied, equally hostile.

Callie stared at him, mouth open. What on earth was he talking about?! Finally, it hit her. Jenna must have told him about her visit. Struggling to breathe easier, she said, simply, "No. I assume Jenna told you."

Frank felt his face pale a bit. "So you admit it?" he said, disgusted and hurt. Then, he added nastily, "Well, it'd be pretty hard to deny, I guess."

"WHAT are you talking about, and how DARE you raise your voice to ME, when you're the … the…" words failed her. Finally, she added, emphatically, "JERK!"

"Me?!" Frank asked, shocked.

"Yeah, you!" Callie shouted back. She felt herself react totally differently than what she had expected. She thought she would have broken down in tears, because Frank really had broken her heart and betrayed her trust. She thought she might have, in a moment of weakness, forgiven him. What she didn't expect, though, was all her anger and hurt to come flashing out at him. Strangely, it felt cathartic. If he would hurt her that badly after all she'd done for him, she wanted to do the same, and found she couldn't stop her feelings from raging through her.

"Right in front of me, you hit on Jenna! Good, old loyal Callie, though, lets you do it! I thought I could trust you!" Her voice was getting louder. "If you wanted to do it, why didn't you TELL me?! Why did you string me along?! What happened to 'I LOVE YOU' and 'I'd NEVER cheat on you', huh?" She felt tears slip down her cheeks in fury and her body shaking. She couldn't remember EVER fighting with Frank before, much less anything of this caliber.

Frank felt the breath sucked from him, and it took him a minute to recover. Then, he shouted back at her, "Oh, you better not make this about ME, Callie! That's pretty devious, don't you think, when YOU'RE the one at fault! I TOLD you I didn't want Jenna, but obviously you didn't trust me." In anger, he spoke without thinking. "I should have gone for her, though, since you were the one acting like a little SL.."

"Shut up!" Callie cried, shocked at what Frank was about to say. Frank had never seen that look on her face before- she looked totally STUNG and utterly devastated, even though he hadn't gotten the word out. It took him a minute, but he realized that he didn't feel good about what he'd just said, no matter how angry he was. As a matter of fact, he couldn't remember ever feeling so remorseful in his life. Callie wasn't promiscuous- it simply wasn't true. To imply anything otherwise would be unfair.

He watched as she sat on the edge of the bed, and buried her face in her hands, starting to cry. And, as much as he wanted to hate her, to make her pay for doing this to him, he couldn't do it. He still loved her; he'd never stopped. That was why the pain cut so deeply. Slowly, he walked over and sat down next to her, and, with hesitation, put his hand on her back.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, swallowing his pride. _And he was_. _He really was_. "I didn't mean that."

"Don't touch me!" Callie managed, standing up at once. She had her arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to protect herself somehow. She was trembling, and looked weak.

Frank realized he had crossed a line that he hadn't ever once supposed existed, and, despite everything, he longed to make it right.

"Oh, Callie," Frank sighed, feeling his own eyes brim with tears which fell over unto his cheeks. He really didn't care, and he didn't try to wipe them away.

Callie felt light-headed as she stared at Frank, surprised he was crying. Frank was equally surprised to see Callie give in to her emotions. By nature, both were reserved. She went to take step back, but found her legs beginning to give out. The stress from everything had given her a massive headache, and her vision blurred slightly, as it did on occasion. She didn't know if it was from the headache or the tears.

The next thing she knew, she felt Frank reach out to her to keep her from falling. He helped her to the floor, where she sat, head down, rubbing her forehead. Knowing she was in pain, he reached into her purse, which happened to be next to him, and handed her the glasses she occasionally wore. Weakly, she took them and put them on, her vision instantly getting clearer. Then, he put his arms around her and pulled her into his tight embrace. She didn't resist as she leaned back against him.

As he held her, Frank realized suddenly that Dave from Georgetown was unimportant. Jenna from the Museum didn't matter much, either. He knew they'd eventually have to talk about it, but this fight had uncovered some deeper issues that they'd have to explore. Still, he knew with absolute certainty that he loved Callie enough to fight for her and that he'd accept his responsibility in whatever it was that drove her to someone else. In the grand scheme of things, nothing else really mattered as much as the fact that he loved her.

He kissed the top of her head, and mumbled, "Well, this sucks."

Callie couldn't help it as a laugh escaped her lips. "Yup," she sighed. That was NOT what she had been expecting.

"I can't deal with this right now," she said softly, resting her head against his chest.

"I know," he answered, rubbing her back.

"I'm still mad and I still think you're a complete idiot," she said seriously, closing her eyes.

Frank sighed. "Yup, I know that, too, although I don't know why."

Callie went to look up at him in disbelief, but he gently pulled her back again towards him. "We'll talk about everything later, okay?" he said at last. "When we're calmer and we can think rationally."

Callie held back tears and she instinctively moved closer to him, as she had for so many years. Frank hugged her.

"I don't forgive you," she managed, wiping back a tear.

"Me, either," he replied.

Finally, she pulled away from him, knowing her eyes were red and her face was probably blotchy. Frank didn't look a heck of a lot better.

Knowing they had reached the end of whatever they could talk about now, but somehow knowing they would each try for the other, Callie relented. "Temporary truce?" she asked quietly.

Frank managed to smile. "Temporary truce," he replied.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Joe was back. Standing up, Frank helped Callie to her feet and they went to greet him, both willing to concentrate on the case seriously, instead of fighting.

As she opened the door, Callie felt Frank gently squeeze her hand.

Despite herself, she smiled….


	18. Chapter 18

_I want to take a moment to thank those of you who have left reviews. I've noticed that this story isn't getting much feedback at all so I suppose I have been remiss in updating lately. I apologize for that, because Alicia and Melissa, you girls have been so kind and I really do appreciate the thoughtful responses that you've given. I hope anyone who is reading likes the story, because I am pretty much done posting anymore after this one. I'm not trying to come across as sullen, because I'm not; I've always enjoyed writing and I had a great time with this story. But time is stretched so thin as it is and I haven't really been inspired to write anything new. It's been a fun experience, and I'll follow through on my promise to finish posting this story. _

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 18

As Joe and Vanessa entered the room, they tried their best not to stare at Callie and Frank. Both of them looked wiped out and drained. As they had been coming back into room, they had heard the sound of shouting voices that had gradually subsided. Unsure of what to do, they had remained in the hallway. Frank and Callie hardly ever fought, and certainly never raised their voices. They had a sneaking suspicion that whatever had gone on hadn't been good, although they certainly couldn't push the issue.

Joe spoke first. "We're back," he began, awkwardly. "Um, are you ready to work?"

"Yes," Frank said softly, and Callie nodded. Along with what had just happened, they were also both embarrassed that Joe and Vanessa knew anything about their fight. Intensely private people when it came to their relationship, they weren't used to having people speculate on any of their issues. This time, though, they had no choice.

Joe forced a smile. "Good, because we have a lot to do," he said. "No more games; just the case."

Callie looked up slowly. "Right," she repeated. "No more games."

Joe and Vanessa took the initial list that had been made, and tried to figure out what the saying "So Defendants Will Prevail" meant, and what, if anything, the word "AGIB" meant. Frank and Callie stared at the list of Museums, stolen items, and colored enveloped.

"Hmmm," Vanessa said after a little while. "I wonder."

"Wonder what?" Joe asked. "Did you see something?"

"I don't know," Vanessa began, unsteadily. "But look at the word-"AGIB'. I mean, if all the robberies were a fake, then maybe whomever was doing this was sending out a 'jibe'- you know, a taunting of some kind. That would make sense, even though it's spelled slightly differently."

Joe was impressed. "That's true!" he said to her, giving her a quick hug. "Good thinking."

Frank, who had overheard this, looked at them. "It IS a good idea, Van, and it's pretty clear what it means. But…."

"What?" Vanessa asked.

"I don't see why the perpetrators wouldn't have spelled it the right way. It doesn't make sense, really."

"Oh," Vanessa replied. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Callie tried to bail Vanessa out. "I think it IS a taunting," she said. "But look at the word again. Maybe we could figure out something- could it be a name?" she asked.

"Possibly," Frank nodded, impressed. He hadn't thought of that.

Callie took the paper from Vanessa and stared at the word. Slowly, she took a pen from her purse and began counting on her fingers.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Vanessa asked.

"I really don't know," Callie admitted. "I was kind of counting the numbers that correspond to the letters in the alphabet. You never know…"

Joe laughed—the girls were going too far with this. Still, he continued to admire Callie's perseverance. "Okay," he said to her. "The word is "AGIB". Let's see what number combinations we can come up with."

He counted with Callie. "There are 4 letters," he said.

"And if we look at what position each one is in the alphabet, we get A=1, G=7, I=9, and B=2. So, it's either individually those numbers, or maybe it's a date- 1792? What on earth happened then?" Callie sighed. "Maybe I'm wrong. "

"We could check it out, though," Frank said softly, and Callie was surprised by his continued support despite their still unresolved blow out.

Joe shrugged. "Well, let's say that the thieves were 'taunting' us through a 'jibe', and agree to look at the numbers 4 and 1792. To be honest, I have no idea where to start, but we'll keep those ideas in mind," he concluded.

"Okay," Frank agreed. "Now let's move on to the "So Defendants Will Prevail." What do you all think?"

Joe's eyes lit up. "Well," he said, thoughtfully. "If we agree this is a message of some sort, then the people who are doing it are, or were, defendants. Maybe they escaped or something, and now they want to prevail or to get revenge."

Frank smiled, and said, "That's a good theory, actually."

"Of course!" Joe laughed. Then he added, "Maybe we should check on recent cases where there were escapes, or that involved Museum personnel."

"Good idea! And…maybe there are four of them," Vanessa added.

"Could be," Callie cut in, "but that's a bit of a stretch to assume at this point. It'd be like saying they escaped in 1792- which couldn't have happened," she finished with a small smile.

"What about the Museums, and the colors?" Joe asked, happy to at least be tossing some theories around.

"Let's look," Frank said, and each person tried to figure out a connection in his or her own way.

After close to a half an hour of guessing and hypothesizing, Vanessa finally said, "Look, guys. I need a break, because I am totally drawing a blank on this one! Want to play _Monopoly_ or something? It'll give us to chance to regroup."

Callie rolled her eyes. "You always want to play that game because you always win," she said with a smile. Although her headache had subsided quite a bit, she was still tired, weak, and very upset, and didn't feel like participating.

"Come on!" Joe said with a smile. "Vanessa won't beat me- but I get to be the car!"

Seeing Joe and Vanessa's enthusiasm, Callie gave in. She glanced at Frank out of the corner of her eye, noticing that he, too, looked tired and upset, as Joe and Vanessa went to get the game in the other room. Shaking her head slightly, she looked at the list in her hands again, studying it. _No more games, _she thought silently to herself. _Isn't that what Joe said?_

She closed her eyes momentarily as the list continued to flash through her mind, burned into it since she'd been perusing it so long. _Museums. Colors. No more games._ She yawned, eyes still closed, wondering what Frank was doing, wanting to smack him and hold him at the same time. _Museums. Colors. No more games_. Shut up, Joe, she thought again, trying to concentrate on Frank—but she couldn't, as those words and phrases ran through her mind. _Museums. Colors. Games. Monopoly- no._

And then Callie gasped out loud and sat straight up, heart pounding. No way- could it be?!

Frank, seeing Callie sit up so quickly and hearing her gasp, looked at her from his seat next to the table. "What?" he asked, instinct moving him to her. "What's wrong?"

Callie swung her legs over the side of the bed and grabbed Frank's arm. "Frank!" she said suddenly. "Let's look at that list again! I think… I think I might get it!"

Frank met her eyes and nodded, excited. "Okay," he said, handing her the piece of paper. "Take a look."

Callie did so, muttering under her breath, _yes, yup, yeah. _"Oh my!" she said at last.

"What?" Frank asked her again, wanting to see what she did. Joe and Vanessa entered the room, laughing. They stopped when they saw the look on Callie's face and the concern on Frank's.

"What's up, guys?" Joe asked, sitting next to Callie, who was intently studying the list.

Finally, Callie answered. "Joe," she said shakily, "I think I know what this means."

"Really?!" he said. "Well, what is it?!"

"You started me thinking about games," Callie began, biting her lip. "What has this been so far? One big game! Someone is taunting, or sending a jibe, at someone else. No robberies have been committed. And yet- yet someone took the time to send someone else a message- someone wants to prevail at something."

"But we know that," Frank interrupted, but Callie shrugged him off.

"Listen!" she said back. "Look at the list."

_Museums- Colors_

_1) The National Air and Space Museum- Green envelope_

_2) The Babe Ruth Museum- Orange envelope_

_3) The International Gallery- Blue envelope_

_4) The National Museum of American History- Pink envelope_

_5) The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum- Yellow envelope._

_6) The Smithsonian American Art Museum- Brown Envelope_

"Okay," said Frank, still not understanding.

"It's a game!" Callie retorted. "The National Air and Space Museum deals with Science and Nature. The Babe Ruth Museum deals with Sports. The International Gallery is Geography." Callie paused, getting excited.

Joe groaned. "I get it!" he added, ignoring Frank and Vanessa. "Callie, you're brilliant!" He gave her a hug.

"What?" Vanessa asked, agitated.

Joe continued. "Van, Frank- listen to what Callie said. I'll finish. The National Museum of American History deals with Entertainment pieces. The Holocaust Museum is Historical, obviously. The Smithsonian American Art Museum- well, that deals with Art, and the literature of the pieces that explain it!"

"So?" Frank and Vanessa said at the same time.

"So," Callie said, eyes aglow with excitement, "it IS a game- _TRIVIAL PURSUIT! _Come on, Frank- we've played that lots of times! Each envelope is the corresponding color category for the appropriate Museum! Like, Science and Nature would be the green category or envelope, and Geography would be the Blue category or envelope!"

"You're right!" Frank added, astonished.

"And it is a JIBE," Joe added. "Because the pursuit has been trivial- unimportant! Something much larger is at stake here!"

"B… but what does it all mean?!" Vanessa cried. "If the cops have been sent on a trivial pursuit, where would that leads them? And why?"

Frank paused, mind spinning. He couldn't believe Callie had come up with that, and Vanessa had understood the jibe, and Joe had seen and made a good guess about the slogan. He was the only one whose mind had been blank.

"Uh," he said at last, "Maybe we ought to think about how the game is played! The object is to get all six slices of the pie filled in before reaching the center, where your opponents choose the final category."

"I don't like the thought of _final_," Vanessa said with a shudder.

Joe's eyes lit up. "Where in D.C. is something centralized around the Museums?" he asked.

Callie smiled, catching on. It was bizarre to be thinking like Joe for once, instead of Frank. "Well, the MALL is in the middle of most of the museums," she said.

"Good!" Joe said. "What's at either end of the Mall?"

Frank interjected. "The Capitol Building is at one end, and the Washington Monument is at the other."

They all looked at each other. Finally, Frank spoke. "I think it's the Washington Monument," he said at last.

"So do I," Joe put in.

"Why?" the girls asked.

"Because it's centered around US flags, and there are 6 or 7 of them. What's in the middle? The statue!"

"Let's notify the police right away!" Vanessa said, and the others agreed.

In their excitement, they had forgotten about 1792, the number 4, the recent court cases, and the fact that someone had to be working the inside angle on the Museums.

They hurried, planning on meeting the officers at the statue at once…


	19. Chapter 19

_Thanks for the two nice reviews that were left- I appreciate them! I'm posting two chapters tonight._

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 19

It was early in the morning when the four teens reached the Washington Monument. Meeting them there was Chief Pierce and several other officers. The Chief listened intently as the Hardys' explained their theory about _Trivial Pursuit_ to him. After several minutes, he rubbed his chin, thoughtfully.

"Well," he began, slowly. "That's interesting, I'll give you that. And, it does seem to make sense."

"But?" Frank asked warily, already seeing the writing on the wall.

"But," the Chief answered him, "Look at the facts. We're here, at the Washington Monument. I've called ten of my best officers to stay here and come off duty. Well, we're here, and nothing has happened! If someone were planning on attacking a particular area of Washington, why would they choose this—statue?! Wouldn't you choose to go after something else-like the Whitehouse or something? I don't know. I like your idea, but something's wrong with it."

"I guess," Joe mumbled. It did sort of make sense.

"I'm not mad, boys, and we'll continue to look at this angle. But," he sighed, "this is kind of like crying wolf. You were right about the last hit on the Museum, but I don't feel you're right about this. Just be careful where you request for me to go, because we can't afford to leave areas of the city unsecured like this." The Chief finished his statement, and motioned for the rest of the officers to return to duty.

Left alone, Frank, Joe, and their girlfriends stared at each other. It had been a long night, and they hadn't rested. To top it off, now the police Chief, whom they needed on their side, thought they were out of their minds.

Warily, Joe spoke first. "I guess we could go back to Hotel, and think this over for a little bit longer.

Vanessa agreed, but Frank and Callie stood looking at the Monument.

"Uh oh," Joe mumbled. "What is it, guys?"

"Nothing," Frank and Callie said simultaneously, looking at each other.

"Okay, then," Vanessa said with a yawn. "Look, Joe and I will go back to the hotel, and I recommend that you two do the same. But … whatever. I'm too tired to care at the moment. Why don't we meet up later tonight at 5:00 back here and then discuss this again. I think I'm gonna fall asleep if I stand here any more."

"I'm with Van," Joe chimed in.

"Okay," Callie said, softly.

Frank added, "I'm going to stay here for a while and think about this."

"Me, too," Callie said.

"Suit yourself," Joe said with a shrug, and headed off with Vanessa.

Frank sat down next to the Monument, and closed his eyes. He really was tired, but he knew he couldn't sleep. Callie's theory had made too much sense, and he was positive that the Chief was somehow wrong. _What's the missing piece?_ he asked himself.

Callie sat next to Frank, lost in her own thoughts as well. Like Frank, she was concentrating on the case at hand.

After a few minutes, neither had come up with anything. Finally, Frank turned to his girlfriend. "Do you want to talk now?" he asked her, quietly.

Surprised, she looked at him. "I have no new ideas," she said, honestly.

"I mean about _us,_ Cal," he responded, looking into her eyes. "I know we haven't had a breather, but I'm having a hard time concentrating on much else. I don't think I can, until I know we worked some of this out." He twisted his hands nervously, fearing a blowout like earlier.

Callie looked at him and sighed. "I don't want to fight, Frank," she said, slowly. "It hurts enough. I don't know that we can resolve everything … or anything," she finished, sadly.

"Well, I want to try," Frank replied, reaching for her hand.

Callie looked at it for a moment, and then, slowly, reached for it. As he clasped her hand in his, Callie felt a little better. "Okay,' she said, softly.

"Don't yell," he said to her.

"Don't yell, either," she replied. "And don't ever call me … that name again." Her eyes darkened as she felt the hurt again like it had just happened.

Frank felt badly. "I'm sorry, baby," he said honestly to her. "No matter what, I'd never think that of you. I was angry and upset. I was also very wrong."

Callie just nodded. Finally, she spoke. Willing herself to remain in control and to not get upset, she turned to him. "Why did you cheat on me?" she managed.

Frank was shocked. "I didn't cheat on you!"

Callie sighed, and withdrew her hand from his. "Don't lie, Frank. I know you did."

Frank took a slow breath. Steadily, needing to resolve this, he said to her, "Callie, I swear to you on everything I am that I did NOT cheat on you. I was going to ask you why you cheated on me."

Callie was speechless, and Frank saw it. "Why, Cal?"

"Are you out of your mind?!" she asked him. "Where did you get a crazy idea like that?! Have I EVER hurt you? Have I EVER given you reason to question my loyalty?! I wasn't the one off flirting with someone else. I wasn't the one who had her phone number, perfume on my shirt, lipstick on my face, and an obvious interest in someone else. I told you to go to her because I trusted you!" Callie had to stop, feeling teary-eyed again, as she felt her voice shake. This was too hard.

"Callie!" Frank said after a minute. He couldn't believe any of this. "I think there's a problem here. Let's start with… me, if that would make you happy." He touched her face, and forced her to meet his eyes. He couldn't stand the pain there. "I am truly sorry that I had any interest at all in Jenna. I was wrong. But I stand by the fact that I didn't do anything with her. You HAVE to believe me!" He pleaded for her to understand.

Callie could barely meet his gaze. "Tell me you didn't kiss her!"

"I… I didn't!" Frank managed.

Callie turned to him, cynicism in her eyes. "Your lips never came into contact with hers?"

Frank groaned. How was he going to get out of this? He thought of a million things at once, but his silence answered Callie's question.

"I see," she mumbled, feeling her face turn red. She got up and went to walk away. Deep down, she had believed in Frank. Now, she couldn't believe in anything.

"Callie, stop," Frank said to her at last, grabbing her arm. "I want to tell you the truth."

He whirled her around, and felt miserable when he saw tears in her eyes.

"Let me explain!" he begged her.

"Why?" she asked, as she felt the tears begin to slip down her cheeks. She was too miserable to care if he saw her cry.

"Because I… because I love you," he answered her. He knew it was inadequate, but it was the truth, and it was all he had.

Callie sat down, and buried her face in her hands. "What do you have to say, Frank?" she asked him. Frank was stunned at the … deadness… in her voice.

"Callie," he said to her. "I am telling you the truth. I acted like a jerk, I guess, with Jenna. But I did not kiss her- she kissed me!"

"Oh, please! That's what you were going to say?!" she asked in disgust, looking up.

"It's the truth!" Frank emphasized. "I walked her back to the train that night. Before she got on, she handed me… a picture…" He tried to fight back the feeling he got when he thought of it. "And then she kissed me. I haven't seen her since. I was upset about a lot of things, so I came back late. And… how do you even know about it?" he asked her.

Callie looked up. Something he said didn't make sense. "Jenna told me."

"She what?!" Frank asked incredulous. "What did she say?!"

"That you kissed her. You're tired of me. You spent the night with her. You get the point."

Frank was outraged. He grabbed Callie's hand forcefully. "Callie, that's totally untrue! I dropped her off at the 12:10 train! Check it- it's the last one that runs at night! I walked around for a little while, and I came back. Joe was asleep. I did NOT kiss her- she kissed me, and then she left." He continued to hold Callie's hand, as he looked into her eyes. "I don't know what kind of game she's playing, but I _am_ telling you the truth."

Then, Frank saw it. He saw her waver slightly. Maybe… he had a chance. Suddenly, his distrust of Jenna reached an all-time high—and that picture of Callie…. maybe that wasn't real, either. He took a deep breath. "Cal, I have to ask you something."

"Okay," she said, weakly, head spinning.

"Callie, Jenna gave me a picture. It was of you and… and Dave. You were kissing." He choked out the last word. "Tell me that didn't happen."

Frank watched her eyes grow wide. "What?!" she sputtered.

"Is it true?"

Callie started trembling slightly; Frank felt it as he held her hand. She looked at him. "It was awful, Frank," she said, wiping back tears.

Trying not to rush to judgement, he asked her, "What was? He was a bad kisser?"

Callie laughed for a minute, and then felt her lips tremble. "No, silly," she said at last. "I… I heard you on the phone with Jenna one day, and I got upset. Dave was my friend… or so I thought….and I wanted to get out- needed to. So, I went on the college tour with him, since you weren't around…"

Frank looked at her. Well, that had been the truth. "Go on."

"And when I went to go back to the Metro to meet Joe, he grabbed me and kissed me- he wouldn't let go! I tried to get away from him, and I did. I told him I loved you, and to leave me alone. I ran and ran, and I finally lost it with Joe, even though I didn't tell him what was wrong!"

"Oh, man," Frank muttered, letting go of Callie's hand, but still looking into her eyes.

"How did Jenna get a picture of that?!" she asked.

"I don't know," Frank said, sitting back, stunned. "She said she was sightseeing."

"In Washington?!" Callie exclaimed, shakily. "She lives here! Why would she do that?! And... how did she know exactly where I would be? That seems more than a bit coincidental, no?!"

In a moment of clarity, Frank and Callie looked at each other as the light dawned on them.

"I think we were set up," Frank said at last.

"Yeah," she whispered.

"And I think we ought to talk to Jenna and Dave and find out…"

"Find out HOW they know each other, because I have a feeling they do!" Callie finished for him.

Frank nodded.

"Frank, there are some bigger issues here," Callie whispered.

Frank reached over for her, and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. "I know," he said to her. "But for right now, they don't matter to me. I am so sorry. We can worry about that- later."

Callie finally let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. She just clung to Frank tightly. Sometimes, there wasn't a need for words.

"I think we should head back now," Frank said at last to her, after what seemed like a long time. "We have a lot to figure out. And… and I still think we're right about this monument."

"And Jenna. And Dave," Callie added.

Helping her to her feet, Frank slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as they headed back to the hotel.

He had a strange feeling wash over him that everything was going to be okay.


	20. Chapter 20

_Here is a second chapter for today. Might as well…_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 20

Later that day, Joe and Vanessa glanced at their watches yet again.

"It's 5:15," Joe grumbled. "Didn't Frank and Callie say they'd meet us here at 5:00? I don't like waiting." Impatiently, he started tapping his foot.

Vanessa looked at him, and burst out laughing. "Oh, give me a break, Joe!" she managed to get out, wiping back a tear from her eye. "You're never on time! And, if it wasn't for the fact that I bought that watch for you last Christmas, you'd never even wear one!"

Joe found himself smiling, too. Vanessa's laughter was contagious. "Okay," he finally said. "Point made. But Frank and Callie are ridiculously on time! You have to admit that this is out of character for them."

"True," Vanessa responded. Then, she gave him a sly smile. "Maybe they got distracted!" she quipped.

"Yuck! I don't even want to think about that!" Joe said, feigning horror. "That's like thinking about my parents… never mind! I can't even have the _thought_ to finish thinking about it!"

Vanessa gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Your maturity is astounding," she said, dryly. "But I do hope they make up. It freaks me out a little to see them fight. They're like the perfect little couple. You know, they don't fight and argue all the time like we do," she added with a sparkle in her eyes.

"I'll show you how to fight," Joe laughed back, holding up his fists to Vanessa and mock fighting with her. Playfully, he wrestled her to the ground, being careful not to hurt her. When he finally had her immobile, she was laughing so hard she could barely breathe. Joe started laughing, too, covering her body with his own, and saying out loud, "FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! … And she's out!" He hopped off her, and flexed his muscles. "Who's the man?!" he shouted.

"I was wondering that myself," Frank said dryly behind him, unable to suppress a smile.

Joe turned around and found himself facing Frank, who was laughing at him. He had his arm securely around Callie's waist, and Joe could see that she couldn't resist laughing, either. "Joe Hardy, WWF Champion. I'm humbled to be in your presence," she said with a wink.

"So why are you late?" Joe asked, changing the subject. He leaned over to offer Vanessa his hand and help her up.

Frank kissed the top of Callie's head and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Joe, if I told you, you wouldn't believe it," he responded.

"No, I probably would," Joe answered back. "Nothing in the case makes sense so far. What've you got?"

Callie looked up at Joe. "Okay, here's the deal," she began, and launched into a whole explanation of how Jenna had set them up, and how she and Frank believed that she somehow knew Dave. When she was done, Joe and Vanessa stood in silence, until Vanessa finally managed, "Wow."

"Yup," Frank said, "So that's what we have to check out later. Right now, I think we ought to reconsider what the Washington Monument has to do with anything. Callie's theory about _Trivial Pursuit _makes too much sense for this not to be important. What do you guys think? Come on," he prodded them. "It's got to be important."

Joe backed up and looked more closely at the Monument. Vanessa did the same. Frank and Callie, together, strolled around it as well, looking at it from different angles. Finally, they met up again. "Okay," Vanessa said. "What are the blinking lights at the top for?"

Frank bit his lip. He had been thinking the same thing, actually. "I looked that up, Van. It's supposed to be symbolic, as though Washington was the protector of the city. The constant blinking is supposed to serve as a reminder that he's always watching over the city, protecting it, if you will."

"That's actually interesting," Joe said.

"Thanks. I can be, on occasion," Frank said with a smile.

"I said the fact, not you," Joe teased his brother, watching as Frank rolled his eyes at him.

"Anyway," Frank said, "that could mean that whomever is setting up this series of events is watching all of us, meaning the people trying to catch him- or them. I think it's more than one person. I also think it means that maybe people are being watched at all times. I don't like that thought," he added.

"What makes you think it's more than one person?" Vanessa asked.

Joe cut in. "Because the slogan says, "So Defendants Will Prevail," which is plural."

"Oh," Vanessa said. "I hadn't thought of that."

"But what else, guys?" Callie interrupted. "I mean, good for telling us that we're being watched, but maybe there's something more. It makes sense."

"Well, the Monument points up," Vanessa said, absently, throwing out ideas.

"What's above it?" Joe asked.

"The sky, Einstein," Frank joked with him. Then, he got more serious. "Maybe Van is onto something, though," he added, thoughtfully. "Maybe the Monument is pointing towards something. After all, it kind of looks like a pointer, right? It's fairly straight, with a pointed tip."

"What's behind it?" Callie asked, glancing in that direction.

"Nothing, really," Vanessa answered her, using her height to her advantage. "More museums and stuff; mainly parks."

"What's in the other…" and Callie suddenly stopped talking, as she realized the answer to her own question. Frank, Joe, and Vanessa got it, also.

"The Capitol Building!" Joe groaned. "How could we not have seen that?! We should get over there right away! Man, these guys are taking a long-winded route to get … caught!"

"Maybe this is a wild-goose chase," Callie said. "The police think so already. Why messages?"

"Because this whole case is about giving someone a message, hon," Frank responded. "The question is, who's getting the message, and what is the message trying to say?"

"Who's going to get us in the Capitol building at this time?!" Vanessa asked.

Suddenly, Joe's face lit up. "Brian!"

"Who?" Frank asked.

"Frank, I told you who he was, remember? The cop who helped you. He's giving me some inside tips because he knows we're working with Chief Pierce. He's cool- he helped a lot." Joe finished speaking, and took out his cell phone, punching Brian's number that he had already programmed in. After close to ten minutes of speaking with him, they all watched as Joe ended the conversation with, "Will do. See ya tonight."

"Well?" Frank asked, anxious.

"He said he's not a miracle worker," Joe said with a smile. "He recommends that we do some research on the computer about the Capitol, and then he can try and talk to the Chief about getting us a little tour tomorrow. He's coming to the hotel later tonight, though, to see if he can help us."

"Why is he doing all this?" Callie asked.

"Maybe he's just a nice person," Vanessa said.

"Or, he wants to get ahead by helping to solve a major case," Frank theorized.

"Or maybe he's just doing his job," Joe said, annoyed. "Look, does it matter? He's helping us, and I, for one, am grateful for it. Don't be cynical."

"He's right," Callie responded. "Maybe we should trust Joe's judge of character." She blushed as she looked at Frank. "He's better than some of us."

Frank just looked into her eyes, and gave her a small smile.

Suddenly, an idea hit him. "Joe, Van. Why don't you two stop and pick up some takeout for dinner, and then go back to the hotel? Vanessa can get you logged on to do some preliminary research about the Capitol. Callie and I have to make a stop first."

"Okay," Joe shrugged. "See you back there- 7 ish?"

"Sounds good," Frank replied as he watched Joe and Vanessa head away.

"Where are we going?" Callie asked, turning to him.

"To pay a little visit to David Shaughnessy," he answered her.

Callie was nervous, and Frank sensed it.

"I… already? Maybe I could talk to him alone."

Frank hugged her to him. "Don't worry, baby," he said calmly. "I won't kill him. He's more valuable alive at this point. Later, that's a different story."

Looking at Callie's horrified expression, he laughed. "I'm kidding," he said gently to her. "Let's go."

Callie called Dave on the cell phone, and he was, of course, surprised to hear from her. Despite that, he agreed to meet her near Georgetown University where Callie had initially taken the tour, in about a half an hour.

When Frank and Callie arrived, they found Dave sitting exactly where he said he would be. He was surprised to find Callie had someone with her, though.

"Dave," Callie said, sitting across from him. "This is Frank- my boyfriend. You remember him, don't you?" she finished.

Frank watched Dave's eyes grow wide, and he squirmed a bit. Callie couldn't help but to smile inwardly. Dave was a little taller and slightly broader than Frank, but he looked scared to death. Despite herself, a small part of her liked, deep down, to be protected by her boyfriend, to have him stand up to his adversary, although clearly that wasn't the purpose of their visit. Still, Callie moved closer to Frank, and felt a little better when she felt his hand on her back.

"Why are you nervous?" Frank asked, point blank, putting Dave on the spot.

Dave finally stopped moving. "Look, man, if we're gonna fight, I'm going to have to tell you that my face is insured."

"What?" Frank and Callie asked together.

"I'm a model, and my face is insured," he answered them. "So I could sue you."

"Get out of here," Frank said, incredulous. "That's not exactly… manly… is it?"

Dave blushed. "Nah, man, but it's the truth. How do you think I afford college?"

Frank sighed. This guy was too much. He could just see himself having to back out of protecting Callie because his _face was insured_. The thought made him smile. "Dave," he began, the smile fading, "I'm not here to fight you. Although," Frank continued, meeting Dave's eyes with a steady, no-nonsense gaze, "If you EVER try anything like that again with my girlfriend, you'll wish you hadn't been born. Do we understand each other?" It wasn't Frank's style to threaten anyone, but he would protect Callie at all costs. And he knew he'd follow through on that threat.

"Dude," Dave said, holding out his hands, "we are totally clear! Callie," he said, turning to her, "I really AM sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. You're just a beautiful girl, and…"

"Dave!" Frank cut in. "The point?!"

"Is that I'm sorry," Dave finished, getting Frank's message. "Listen, can I go now? I apologized. I really meant it. I don't want any trouble, really."

"Not yet," Frank said. "We have something to ask you."

"O… Okay," he said.

Frank rubbed Callie's back, knowing she was uncomfortable. She surprised him, though, by being the one to talk to Dave.

Looking at Dave, she said, "Look. Frank received a picture of what … what happened with you and me… when you kissed me. Do you know anything about that? Tell me the truth. It's the least you could do."

Dave looked decidedly uncomfortable, and Frank drew in a quick breath. He had had his doubts about the Jenna and Dave connection, but he now had a feeling that it was true. He paused, waiting for Dave's answer.

Finally, he gave in. "I'm sorry Callie. I didn't mean to cause you any problems. Really- I didn't. I didn't know the picture would be used to—to sort of blackmail you."

"Then what DID you think? Who put you up to this?" Callie prodded him for more answers.

"The truth?" he asked, regretfully.

"Yes!" Frank and Callie answered back.

"A girl. Her name was Janet… Judy…"

"Jenna?" Frank asked.

"Yeah! That was it," he answered.

"So you're not a friend of hers?" Callie asked, puzzled.

"No," Dave replied. "I only met her once, actually. It was on a modeling shoot. She came up to me and started talking. I actually thought she WAS a model- she's pretty cute."

Callie blushed. "Anyway…" she cut in.

"That's about it. After she recognized my college sweatshirt, she told me that a blonde girl would be taking a tour of Georgetown. She gave me the date and time, and asked if I would… you know… sort of act interested and pursue it."

Callie felt her face grow even more red. "Then you were never interested in me at all?!"

"No, that's not it," Dave said to her. "I wasn't supposed to be, but I didn't think you'd be as pretty as you are, or as nice. I was supposed to meet you for a second date and kiss you. I had the date and location. I had no idea how upset you'd get."

Frank shook his head, confused. "There are a lot of holes in this, Dave. I have a few questions."

"Go ahead," Dave replied.

"What did you get for doing this?"

"Five thousand dollars."

"What?!" Callie cried, and Frank was also stunned. "That's a lot of money!"

"Tell me about it!" Dave replied. "That's why I did it."

"And how did Jenna know you're a tour guide?" Frank asked.

"I'm not," Dave sheepishly admitted. "But I do go to Georgetown, and my buddy is. I knew he'd let me switch. I just wanted to find out why she wanted to know one, and it's a heck of a lot of money to turn down."

Callie couldn't believe it. "When did she give you the money?"

"Up front, if you can believe it. In cash. She said I'd pay dearly if I didn't fulfill my part of the bargain. That chick's scary when she's serious! Anyway, why wouldn't I do it? It was an easy enough switch."

"Did she say how she knew when I'd be there?" Callie asked.

Dave blushed. "Well, she said your boyfriend had told her."

Callie looked at Frank, who slowly realized what had just been said. "Yeah, I guess I did," he said slowly, realizing how much information he must have inadvertently divulged to Jenna.

"How did she know Callie would go out with you?" Frank asked.

"Um," Dave began, "I really don't get turned down," he finished, embarrassed. "Besides, she said that Callie would be mad that she was out with Frank."

There was an awkward moment as Frank and Callie considered the veracity of his words.

"Did she say anything else?" Frank asked at last.

Dave pondered for a moment, before replying. Finally, he said, "Well, I asked her why she wanted me to do this, and she just said that she always got what she wanted, and that money was no object. I really didn't know that you two were serious," he said, finally.

"That's it?" Callie asked.

"That's it." Dave replied. With a final apology, he left, leaving Frank and Callie alone.

"Wow," Callie said at last. "Jenna sure went to a lot of trouble to set us up. I wonder why."

"I don't know, Cal, but that's what I intend to find out." With those words, he stood up and helped Callie to her feet as well. Frank held tightly to Callie's hand as they walked, regretful beyond belief that he had gotten her into this, all because of a stupid crush.

She squeezed his hand back in support, walking in silence, not blaming him, knowing that they couldn't think about their own problems now.

They headed back to the hotel.


	21. Chapter 21

_Thank you to anyone who has read or reviewed._

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 21

As Frank opened the door to his room, the first thing he saw was Joe and Vanessa locked in a pretty passionate kiss.

"AHEM!" Callie and Frank said together, and Joe and Vanessa pulled apart from each other, blushing.

"Bro, you gotta knock next time!" Joe quipped to his brother as he gave Vanessa a small wink and scooted next to her on the floor.

"I see you've been working hard on finding information about the Capitol, Joe," Callie said, dryly.

"_Hardly working_ is more like it!" Frank added.

"People, people," Joe said with a dramatic sigh. "Have you no faith in me? Have you no confidence in my abilities to come through when times are down, and to locate important information?"

"You found something, then?" Callie asked, sitting on the bed.

"No, actually," Joe responded. "But I had ya there for a minute, huh?" He laughed.

"That's not funny, Joe," Frank said finally. "Callie and I have been working hard trying to find out some information, and we DID find things related to Jenna, if not the case." He shook his head in frustration. "Don't you ever work?!"

Finally, Vanessa started laughing, and Frank turned to her. She, however, looked at Joe and said, "Joe, tell them the truth. Show them what you found. I told you they wouldn't be in a mood for jokes!"

Frank and Callie just stared at Joe. "You're right," Frank finally said. "We're not."

"Well, what did you find? You might as well go first," Joe said.

Callie smiled in spite of herself at Joe's antics. Sometimes, she wished Frank would be a little less serious. _Then again, _she thought, _It's that seriousness and loyalty that draws me to him. Loyalty_. She shrugged off the last thought, unable to will herself to get upset at her boyfriend. "Well, Joseph," she began, and went on to tell him and Vanessa all about how Jenna had set Dave up in order to set THEM up. They listened intently.

"Wow," Joe said with a low whistle. "That girl must want you bad, Frank!" he quipped.

Seeing Callie's face get a little red at that comment, Joe instantly felt bad. "But it sounds like she's psycho, even if she's gorgeous, and that's not Frank's type, most of the time," he added, to make her feel better.

"Oh, good lord, Joe!" Vanessa quipped.

"Yeah, you're not making me feel much better," Callie said to him, ignoring the strain in Frank's eyes at even having this conversation.

"Uh, what did you find out?" Frank cut in, eager to change the course of this conversation.

"A few things, really," Vanessa answered him. "There is a ton of information on the web, and it's so easily accessible. We tried to get a brief history of the building, and we did find out a few things."

"Go on," Frank said.

"Okay," Joe interrupted. "First of all, The Capitol building doesn't really store a lot of money by itself, if any. It's more of a records keeping establishment. The actual production of money is really done in Mints across the country."

"And?" Frank asked, when Joe paused.

"Um, that's all we got to," Vanessa sheepishly admitted.

Frank sighed heavily. "Great," he muttered.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and a young man in his twenties stood there. "Hi," he said to Frank when he opened the door. He extended his hand in greeting. "I'm glad to see you- you look a lot better than the last time we met! I'm Brian," he concluded.

Frank shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Come on in," Frank said, ushering Brian into the room. "And thanks for your help that night," he added. "I understand you were a real lifesaver."

"No problem. Glad to help," he responded.

The next several minutes were spent making introductions and getting Brian some of the leftover Chinese food. Frank, looking at him, realized that Brian was young, and that's probably why he had struck up a friendship with Joe. He had a laid-back demeanor and an easygoing smile, and Frank liked him. _Besides_, he thought to himself, _if Joe was working this case alone at this rate, there'd never be an answer! _He tried not be upset at Joe, though. He remembered the times he and Callie had done the very same thing, eager for some time alone together in between their crazy case schedules.

"So what's up, guys?" Brian asked, sitting on the floor next to Joe and Frank. "That's some out there theory you have about games and the Washington Monument, and now the Capitol! It's cool, though. You're like… Inspector Gadget or something!"

Vanessa laughed. "That's Joe! Inspector Gadget!"

Brian just smiled.

Frank answered his question. "Well, we honestly haven't found anything, yet. We just know that the Capitol building serves for basic administrative purposes, and doesn't actually store money."

"Uh huh," Brian said. "Yeah, that's pretty much common knowledge."

Frank glared at Joe, who just smiled and winked at Vanessa.

"So I don't think the Capitol Building, itself, is in any danger," Callie added thoughtfully. "Unless there's some sort of administrative wrongdoing going on."

"That's possible," Frank said warmly to her. He chuckled softly. "I guess any place that deals with money could have that sort of thing."

Callie jumped at Frank's words. "MONEY!" she said to Frank.

He was totally confused. "You need money? Now?" he asked her.

"No!" Callie sighed, exasperated. "Frank, this case is most certainly about money, if we've been right so far with the other clues!"

"Why?" Vanessa asked.

"Because what's the other spelling of Capitol, as in the building?"

"Capital! That means money!" Joe chimed in. Callie was great with these things! "So," he said, getting up, "if the whole thing was a clue, leading us to TRIVIAL places so far, on reckless PURSUITS, what do we have? Capital Pursuits, or the pursuit of capital! Money!" He jumped up to give Callie a hug. "Callie Shaw, I'd kiss you, if you weren't my brother's girlfriend!"

"Or if your girlfriend wasn't here," Vanessa said with a laugh.

"Don't worry, Van- I wouldn't kiss him," Callie said with a smile, and Joe tossed a pillow in her direction.

"Guys, stop," Frank said seriously. "If Callie's right, and this case is about the pursuit of money, what type of money? It's hard to figure that out, since we don't know who's even doing this!"

Callie gently touched Frank's shoulder, calming him down. It worked. She'd always been able to calm him, somehow. "Frank's right," she said, softly. "Let's think for a minute here. We have all these museum NON- robberies, which we think was related to Trivial Pursuit. We have all the messages of things that were stolen, which have to do with escape."

"We also have someone having to have some sort of inside angle," Vanessa added, trying to piece this together.

"And," Joe added, "We have the Capitol Building, which suggests money is involved. We have the Washington Monument, which points there."

"There might be more to it than that," Callie added.

"Maybe," Vanessa added absently.

"Plus," Frank interjected, "We almost forgot about "So Defendants Will Prevail" and "AGIB", which could mean some defendants have escaped."

"And AGIB had what date, Cal?" Joe asked her.

Callie thought for a moment. "It's either 4, for the letters, or 1792, for the numbers that correspond to the positions of the letters."

Brian sat up a little straighter. "Hey, guys," he said, slowly, "You didn't hear about the embezzlement case about five years ago here, did you?" He bit his lip, unsure of what he was saying.

"No," Vanessa said. "What happened?"

"Well," he said, "I only know 'cause I had just started out and it was big news. Records were being redone in the Capitol building at the time, and funds were being switched all around. A total of ten people were found to be guilty, but four- they got off the hook, because evidence had been confiscated from their private residences without a search warrant. The defendants got off on a technicality. No one knows where they went."

Callie took a deep breath. "That's the number 4!" she said out loud.

"You might be onto something!" Frank replied, pleased.

"Yeah, but here's the thing," Brian went on. "The punishment was really severe. The President now is in favor of the death penalty, but the former one, as you know, wasn't. So, these six guys are on death row right now, pending appeals."

Vanessa had been listening the whole time, while trying to get info about the trial on her laptop as Brian spoke. "Here! Look at this!" she cried, pointing to the screen. Joe and Frank read about the trial over her shoulder. Brian was pretty accurate in his description of what had happened.

"This could be it!" Joe said, excitedly. "Great job, babe!"

"I know," Vanessa joked.

Frank, however, kept reading, ignoring them. Suddenly, he felt his face pale. Callie saw it at once. "Honey?" she asked him. "What's the matter?"

Frank was quiet for a minute, and then spoke to the group, keeping his eyes peeled to the screen at all times. "Let me read this from the article, right at the bottom," he said, evenly. He took a breath and then read out loud, "_The crime of embezzlement is a serious one, folks; much more serious than people think—especially if you're an employee at the area Mints. The ten defendants accused in this crime were all Capitol workers; unfortunately for them, they were also employees at the Philadelphia Mint, from which they were embezzling funds via doctoring paperwork. Whomever said that old laws weren't worth anything ought to be shocked by this case, as the 1792 law that established the first Mint made coin defacement, counterfeiting, and embezzlement by Mint Employees punishable by death. This reporter believes that really smart criminals ought to pay more attention in History class!"_

"That's some colorful journalism," Callie said with a small smile. "Not exactly "just the facts," you know?!"

"Cal," Joe cut in. "That's true, but it's not the point! AGIB is a reference to that 1792 law, the four employees, AND the GIBE at all of the people who never caught them!"

Callie was shocked, as was Vanessa and Brian. "I didn't see that," she admitted.

"We have a case, at last!" Frank replied, happily. "Now we know who we're looking for!"

"Frank," Brian cautioned. "You HAVE to tell the Chief about this, so you can decide what your next move is. This has to be kept fairly quiet. As it is, I think too many people knew about the Museums…well, non-heists… and you never know who might be working on this same lead. I swear, information travels!"

"That's true," Frank agreed.

"Why, Bri? Have you been divulging all our secrets?!" Joe teased him.

"Nah, man," Brian joked back. "But my ex girlfriend, of a very short time, used to get me to chat. Chicks!" He smiled. After a moment, he paused. "Actually," he added, as he went to leave. "You may have run into her at the Museum. She was with you that night."

"Huh?" Joe asked.

"Jenna. Jenna. Barkalow. That girl's a trip!"

They all froze.


	22. Chapter 22

_Here's another chapter. Enjoy!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 22

"What?!" Frank cried as soon as he heard the name Brian had called out. "Wait, stop! Come back here!" he called after him.

Brian turned around and found himself staring into four pairs of disbelieving eyes. He felt decidedly uncomfortable. He walked back into the room. "What?" he said to the group. "Is that important? I assume she would have told you, since you seemed to be pretty friendly with her."

It only took Frank a few moments to snap out of his shock. He was the first one to speak. "Brian," he began in a steady voice. "I had no idea you went out with Jenna! Yes, it is important, and I do care about it."

Callie tried to ignore Frank's comment and cleared her throat quietly. Frank did hear it, though, and realized what he'd said. He went over, sat next to Callie, and put an arm around her before he continued talking. "Brian, look. The only reason I care is that we just found out that Jenna tried to … well, break up Callie and me by setting us up. It wasn't a standard set-up, either. She paid a random stranger 5000 dollars to do it! She not only did that, but she never even indicated to me that she knew you, and she told us a lot of confidential information in the beginning. A lot of things are not adding up here!"

Brian raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Get out of here," he said to them.

"It's true," Joe interjected. "What do you know about this girl? She seems to be around a lot when things are … well, getting heated. I mean, why would she do it? Do you have any idea? She's only our age!"

Brian sat down. Slowly, he spoke, still looking shocked. "Joe, I… she is? Jenna's not THAT young- she's twenty- three, out of college, and working in the Museum to pursue her interest in history. That's just a summer job, though! She was a finance major and supposedly has some job lined up for the fall. She just said it was important for her to be here during the summer."

"How long did you go out with her?" Vanessa asked, curious.

"Geez- not long at all!" Brian admitted. "Maybe two months or so. Between my job and its crazy hours, and her job and outside interests, we knew it wasn't serious. She was just- you know- really pretty and a lot of fun, cool to hang out with."

"We know," Callie said quietly, hating even to be talking about Jenna.

Frank gave her a gentle squeeze. "Brian," he queried, "is Jenna rich? Why would she pull the stunts that she did?"

With a sigh, Brian responded, "Frank, I have no idea. I know very little about her family- I don't even know where she lives, if you can believe that! She'd either come over to my place or we'd meet up somewhere. I didn't push the issue because clearly I knew it wasn't going anywhere. I only know two things." He paused.

"What are they?" Joe asked.

"That first, I shouldn't have said anything to her about the status of the investigation. I could get in a lot of trouble for that."

"And two?" Vanessa asked.

Brian looked around, embarrassed. "That whatever that girl wants, she has a tendency to get. Even when I was dating her, she had tons of guys after her. She once told me that she went for the more challenging type, though- those who didn't want to be with her, or were with others. I thought that was – weird! Maybe that's why. Maybe she wanted Frank to herself and tried to get him."

Frank shook his head, trying to ignore the rising color in his cheeks as he held close to Callie. _What an idiot_, he thought to himself. _Callie's been here the whole time, trusting me- and I DID betray her, if only in thoughts_. He felt terrible, hoping that Callie could eventually forgive him- really and truly- for his mistake.

"Well, maybe we ought to check more into her background," Frank said at last.

He heard Callie sigh, and turned to her. "What's the matter, Cal?" he asked her.

Callie stood up and walked to the window, quietly. She turned around after a minute and addressed everyone in the room. "Look, guys, if you want to check into Jenna's past, go ahead. I'm mildly curious myself." She looked Frank in the eyes. "_Mildly_," she stressed. "Anyway, I think you're all losing sight of the fact that we have a very strong investigation going about embezzled money and finances. I just don't think that now is the time to get distracted. I'll be quiet now," she concluded.

"You don't have to be quiet," Joe answered her with a kind smile. "Actually, you make a good point. I still think we have research to do. Let's put Jenna on the backburner for now."

Callie glanced at him, and gave him a grateful smile.

They decided to split up for the evening, with Frank and Callie doing more research on the case and trying to find out more information about the Capitol. Joe and Vanessa would look into the defendants, themselves, and see if they could get any new leads. Brian bid them all a good night, and promised to call them if he thought of any new information that might help in their case.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoo

The next morning, Frank and Callie sat together at an outside picnic area on the Mall, after having taken a quick tour of the Capitol building with other tourists to the area. Callie lay down in the grass and looked at the blue sky above her, with the hint of white clouds wafting in the distance. It was really a perfect day so far; not yet hot enough to be disturbing, and serene and pretty. Frank sat next to her, and Callie shifted over, resting her head on his lap as she looked up at him, watching him smile at her. She felt herself smile back.

"Okay, babes," she said to him after a moment. "Do you have any new ideas? Because honestly, I'm at a little bit of a loss."

Frank brushed a stray strand of hair back from her face, and sighed. "Well, I think a lot of what we're going to have to do depends on what Joe and Vanessa find out about the initial trial." He gave her a wry grin. "IF they get any work done, that is."

"They'd better!" Callie quipped, absently looking at a blade of grass she had picked up. "That's important. Maybe we should have taken that angle and let them wander out here for a while."

"Sometimes I think they have the right idea, though, Cal," he said softly to her, and leaned down to her, covering her lips with his own in a lingering kiss. For a few glorious minutes, everything was as it had been- before this case, Jenna, Dave, or anything else.

Finally, Callie pulled away, and sat up next to him, trying to catch her breath. She wrapped her arms around him and cuddled close, and Frank did the same.

Frank closed his eyes for a minute, just enjoying the moment and the simple pleasure of holding the girl he loved close. He leaned down and gave her another kiss, and then a gentle squeeze. "I love you, Cal," he said softly to her.

"You should- I'm a catch!" she teased him, and leaned her head against his shoulder. She felt him tense a little bit, and then smiled up at him. "I love you, too. We'll… work this out, one way or another."

"What does that mean?" Frank asked her, concerned.

"It means that no one can control the future- all we have is right here and now, in the moment, so let's enjoy it," she responded, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

Frank hesitated, afraid of bringing anything up. Still, he had to try. "Callie?" he asked her.

"Mmmmm?" she murmured.

"I…I know we didn't talk about this or anything, but, you know, college is coming pretty soon and… well, I'm going to make this work with you. I'm not a fool. I mean…I hope that's what you want, too." As soon as he finished speaking, Frank realized how incredibly nervous he was to hear her response. The thought of losing her was getting more real, and he really couldn't take it. He had meant what he told Joe- he WOULD marry her one day- he knew it. _Of course, that's if she'll take me_, he added to himself, anxiously.

Callie looked up at him, unprepared to have this conversation. She wanted so badly to hear those words, but she knew, deep down, that the only way to tell if Frank meant them was to give it time. She had to know that he loved her and wanted to be with her because his heart told him to, and not because he was feeling guilty about Jenna, or the swarms of other girls whom she knew he'd meet at college, or because he was afraid to be without her because she was, and always had been, such a steady companion to him. She had one more discussion to have with him about this, but she was holding that for later. Right now, she only knew she deeply loved him, and sometimes, the only way to see if that love was reciprocated was to set it free.

"We can talk about this later, okay?" she asked him.

Frank felt his heart beat faster. "Is it because… you don't trust me anymore? I… I'm so sorry, Callie. I…"

Callie covered his lips with her finger. "Shhh," she coaxed him. "Baby, I do trust you. And I do love you. And that's exactly the reason I can't answer your question."

"I don't understand," he said softly, leaning back.

"You will… one day," she said, and gave him a quick, soft kiss.

"What are you going to do?--- flip a coin or something?" he asked her, trying to mask his hurt and fear with a joke.

Callie sat up straight. "What did you say?" she asked him.

"I asked if you were going to flip a coin. I was teasing," he said. "I guess it wasn't funny."

"Frank!" she said, grabbing is arm. "Duh! That's what we've been missing!"

"What is?" he asked, wrapped up in her excitement.

"The Capitol building! It's another clue! If we're dealing with CAPITAL, maybe it's not just paperwork from stocks and bonds. Maybe we're talking about embezzlement or interfering again- right from the Mints! Physical money- like coins…."

Frank was excited. "Yeah!" he agreed, catching on. "Just like last time! No one would think that ex-cons would repeat their crimes! And coins are valuable in and of themselves based on what they're made of- bullion- or because they're extremely rare!" He gave her an impulsive hug. "I think you're onto something!"

Callie smiled, happy. "Well, where are the Mints?! That's be a good place to start," she said, enthusiastically.

Frank bit his lip. "What did they say on the tour again? I know there're four. Philadelphia is one, obviously. I think there's one in Denver."

Callie continued where Frank left off. "I think the other two were in San Francisco, if I remember correctly, and West Point."

"Okay!" Frank nodded, and gave Callie a high five. "You good, baby!" he teased her, putting on a fake Caribbean accent.

Callie rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway. "Okay," she continued, "If Joe and Van can find out information about who these four men are, then we'll have a lead, and we can see if we're right! "So Defendants Will Prevail." I still wonder how that fits into it," she added.

"So Defendants Will Prevail," Frank repeated, trying to concentrate. "I don't know. Come on. Let's go back to the hotel. We'll see if we can figure it out."

Callie agreed, and, getting up, she strolled back with Frank, arms around each other's waists, both of them taking their time, lost in thought.

Frank felt instinctively that they were onto something. He knew, though, that instinct would only get them laughed at yet again by the Chief. As usual, they need proof- or at least more than reasonable doubt. He kept repeating the catch phrase as they walked. There had been so many leads, so many clues, so many complicated trails to even get them to this point. _Okay. So Defendants Will Prevail. Defendants. Trial. Mints. Coins. Cities. Four._

It hit him. "Callie!" he cried, stopping abruptly. "I've got it!"

She looked up at him, startled. "Okay," she answered back.

Frank released his hold on her and walked in front of her. "We ARE right! The next targets have got to be the Mints- well, one of them at least."

"Why?" Callie asked him.

"Because, Cal, think about the slogan- 'so defendants will prevail.' Each letter starts with the name of a Mint! San Francisco, Denver, West Point, and Philadelphia!"

"That's awesome!" Callie said back, impressed. "We should go tell this to Joe and Van- right away. Maybe we can figure out what's going to be hit first!"

"I know, baby," Frank said to her, excited. "But maybe we can make a quick stop first, if it's okay with you."

Callie shrugged. "Okay, but where?! I mean, this is kind of important."

Frank finally stopped moving, and turned to her. "It certainly is," he said, more quietly. "And I can't wait to run it by Van and Joe. BUT… I have some personal business to take care of first."

Callie raised an eyebrow, and Frank gently touched her cheek. "We spoke to Dave," he said softly to her, " and even though he's not related to the case, it made me feel better… after everything. Now- well, I want to talk to Jenna and find out WHY. No, it's got nothing to do with this case, but you know what?" He met her eyes. "YOU'RE more important to me than any case will ever be, no matter what. And I just FEEL like showing Jenna that she can't come close to you- ever again."

Callie smiled and looked up at him. "Frank, that's sort of vindictive, don't you think?" she asked, amused.

"You don't want me to tell her off?!" Frank asked, surprised.

Callie laughed, and leaned her head against his chest for a minute before pulling back. "Actually, I sort of like this side to you," she replied with a soft smile. "Do you want me to go back to hook up with Joe and Vanessa? I trust you." She looked away for a second, and then continued. "Frank, you don't need to prove anything to me. Let it go. There will always be other people," she finished, softly.

Frank hugged her, incredulous that after everything, she _still_ trusted him alone with Jenna. "Nope!" he said to her with a smile. "I want you there. And I do need to prove something- to myself. I'm sorry," he said, sincerely.

"I know."

They looked at each other for a long moment in contented silence.

Finally, Callie snapped out of the spell. "Frank, we just discovered that a U.S. Mint will be stolen from, or that embezzlement has been going on. We need to get that info out! So," she went on, "if we need to make a little stop, let's be quick about it, okay?" She winked at him, and turned away.

"You're something else, Cal," he said to her as they made their way to the train.

"Don't you forget it," she teased, and they headed out to meet Jenna Barkalow before telling Joe and Van of their findings, unaware of the real trip upon which they were about to embark.


	23. Chapter 23

_Three chapters in two days! Only 7-8 more to go_…

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 23

As Vanessa waited for the laptop to boot up, she turned around and faced Joe, her arms folded across her chest.

"Yes?" she asked him, sensing that he was staring at her.

Joe just smiled. "Nothing, babe. Just admiring the view. Come to think of it," he added, holding out his arms, "I think I need to get a closer look." He winked dramatically at her.

Vanessa laughed. "Not this time, Joe!" she said with a giggle. "We actually have work to get done."

"I know," Joe groaned. "But we're waiting for the computer anyway." He looked at her with hopeful eyes.

Vanessa laughed again. "Joseph, get your mind on the case!" she quipped. "Why don't we… talk or something?"

"OOOHHH, fun," Joe replied, teasing. "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

Vanessa paused a moment before speaking. "I just wanted to tell you that I don't like Jenna and I think Frank acted like a major jerk to Callie," she said, simply.

Joe sighed, feeling protective of his brother. "Well, Van," he said at least, "we all make mistakes. Plus, they seem to have made up. Look, I don't trust Jenna, either, but what can you do? She's essentially out of the picture. Frank, I think, was pretty sorry he fell for her, and Callie …. well, who knows what she thinks? She's always so private when it comes to my brother. Can we, like, not talk about THEM? You'll make my life easier." He smiled at her.

Vanessa acquiesced. "All right. I'm sorry. And…." She paused, and met his eyes.

"And?" Joe prodded her.

"I'm glad that this time you were the one who didn't have girl problems!" She blew him a kiss.

Joe got up, gave her a hug, and then looked over her shoulder as she began typing in information to find out about the embezzlement case. As she typed along and pulled up articles, he couldn't help but to be impressed with how good at computers Vanessa really was. Sometimes, he didn't think he deserved such an understanding, smart, and funny girlfriend. Of course, he'd never tell her that.

After several hours of reading and research, Joe honestly thought he was going to go out of his mind. He'd never had the patience for all this paperwork, even though he understood the necessity of it. Finally, he decided to talk out what he'd found with Vanessa, and see if it left them any better off at all.

"Van?" he said softly to her.

"Hmmm?" she asked, still reading another article.

"Let's try to se if this makes sense."

"Okay," she said, and turned to him with a small smile. "I was getting tired of reading, to tell you the truth!"

"Vanessa, you know how important it is," he said to her with a twinkle in his eyes. "Patience is a virtue!"

"Please!" Vanessa said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, what do you think?"

Joe sat next to Vanessa and took out a pad, writing down some of the things they had discovered. "Okay," he began. "We know that six of the men involved in the embezzlement case are on death row. The other four are still at large. We have Pietra, Thornton, Pogle, and Green. After the trial, Pietra and Green disappear for a while, then seem to return to working, middle class lives. You don't have to be a genius to figure out that they're probably still under surveillance, but you don't hear much about them after that."

"On the other hand," Vanessa interrupted, "Thornton and Pogle disappear. Perhaps there's family around, although I'm sure they wouldn't know anything. That leaves us one thing to do," she said, turning to Joe.

"Yup!" Joe said, and turned off the computer. "We have to pay Pietra or Green a visit. Maybe they know something. It was easy enough to access their home addresses though the on-line phone book. Good job, Van!" he concluded, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Vanessa grinned as she followed Joe out of the room. Then, a thought hit her. "Joe!" she said suddenly. "Which one do you want to go to?"

Joe shrugged. "Whichever. Do you have a preference?"

"Um, Green's closer," she surmised.

"Green it is, then," Joe agreed.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

Close to a half an hour later, Joe and Vanessa arrived at the home of George Green. They looked at each other nervously before ringing the doorbell. In a few moments, a large, bald-headed man answered the door. "Yes?" he asked, in a voice softer than what either Joe or Vanessa had been anticipating.

Joe took a deep breath, and then began to talk. He decided to be honest. "Mr. Green, my name is Joe Hardy, and this is Vanessa Bender. We've come today because we have reason to believe that there is going to be some sort of big robbery, or perhaps one is already going on. If we could have a few minutes of your time, we'd like to speak to you."

Green's eyes grew wide, and he became a bit pale. "I don't know anything about that stuff! I.. I've been clean the last few years- I was acquitted! I've got nothing to say to you." He went to shut the door.

Joe was able to stick his foot in at the last moment to prevent it from closing. "Mr. Green," he said, more loudly. "Please! We're not accusing you of anything- no one is! We just want to talk to you."

The door was still not opening. Then, Vanessa, inspired, said, "Again, we're not accusing you of anything. BUT… it'd be great if you helped us and the police. Maybe they'd leave you alone, finally," she finished, praying that she was right, and he had been being watched.

That did it. The door finally opened, and Green asked, hesitantly, "You think so?"

Joe breathed a sigh of relief. "We'll be happy to inform the police, with whom we're working, of your ongoing cooperation," he replied. "I'm sure they'll be able to, ah, work something out!"

Green steeped outside, and shut the door behind him. He sat down on the front steps, and Joe and Vanessa sat next to him. "Thank you, Mr. Green," Vanessa said, and he nodded.

"What's going on?" Green asked.

Joe and Vanessa spent the next several minutes informing Green of all they knew, including the museum robberies, the codes, and their theory that embezzlement might be happening again. Green listened intently, and Joe got the feeling that he really _didn't _know about it. Finally, Joe concluded with, "So, do you think there's any chance that Pietra might know something? What about Thornton or Pogle? Have you heard from them?"

Green shook his head. "Listen, kid. Sam Pietra- he's tryin' real hard like me to make an honest living. Six of our friends are awaiting the death penalty. We're very lucky that we're not with them." He paused a moment.

"You were found innocent," Vanessa added, trying to be supportive.

Green smirked. "Honey, you now as well as I do that was on a technicality. Yeah, I did it. So did the others. We just got lucky with some stupid cops and a good lawyer. Don't sugarcoat it."

Vanessa was quiet. Joe picked up on the awkward silence.

"Okay," Joe said. "If that's true, and Pietra IS trying to make an honest living, what about the other two? Does this sound like something they would do?"

Green sighed as a small smile came to his face. "Honestly, kid," he said with a slightly bemused tone, "This is right up their ally. Yeah, it's them. Don't you see the code? You just said you do. Their thefts had to deal with escape, right?"

"Well, yeah," Joe pondered. "Because they escaped."

"No," Green said with a shake of his head. "That has nothing to do with it! THINK, kid! This is so easy. I kind of admire their gumption for getting back into this. I'd never do it, man, even though it's tempting as hell. Millions of dollars- all it takes is a few paperwork errors, some lost coins- come on! But that life is behind me now," he finished, for emphasis.

Joe was perplexed, as was Vanessa. "We'll think about that, Mr. Green. But what about the families of the men? Would they leave them behind?"

Green shrugged. He replied, "Pogle is a bachelor- any family I know of can't be that important. Maybe he has a living mother-I don't remember. Thornton has a family- well, he did. A wife… a kid or two. Look it up- that's easy info to get to. Listen," he replied, suddenly sullen. "I'm not going to tell you what they're up to, and you can't use what I said against me- it's entrapment, if you're wired. I really didn't know about this, but I won't rat out my- well, former friends. Are all law enforcement officials so stupid? Can't you all see what's going on?" He got up to leave.

"But why no robberies of the museums?" Joe asked in desperation.

"You already figured that out, kid. It's all in the clues. Why waste time to get caught when it's so easy to make money other ways? But it is easy- how can you not see what's coming? I gotta go. Don't forget your promise," he reminded them, and went in the house."

Vanessa and Joe walked in silence away from the apartment. They finally decided to have a seat on the ground rather than waiting for the Metro, which they could catch later, figuring they still had plenty of time to catch up with Frank and Callie.

"Well," Joe mused, "That was interesting."

"Indeed," Vanessa responded, quietly.

"Yup," Joe said. Finally, he said, more forcefully, "I can't stand this, Van! What are we missing?! I mean, what's in escape, other than the fact that they did? And what's with defendants, and Justice, and…." He stopped. Something was bothering him, although he couldn't quite place it.

"Oh, Joe!" Vanessa gasped. "They don't want escape for themselves! They want it for…."

Joe slapped his forehead. "For their friends! Duh! How did we miss that?! That's how they'll prevail! They want their friends off death row!"

"B… but you can't just- like- blow up a prison, or cause a riot!" Vanessa cut in. "Only the President could pardon that!"

"You don't suppose," Joe asked, turning to her, "That he's in trouble, do you?!" He felt himself get pale. The President of the United States? Now, that was way out of their league.

"Maybe," Vanessa said, getting up and pacing on the grass. "But he's got the Secret Service and massive security. He should be just fine."

"I hope so," Joe said, nervously. "But if he's the only way to get the guys off death row…" his voice trailed off.

"Joe!" Vanessa shouted, jumping up and down in excitement. "He's not! Let's go!" she said, and motioned for him to get up.

"What's the other option?" Joe asked, following her rapid movement away from the Mall.

"A re-trial on appeal! And how's that gonna get done?!"

"It has to be taken…" Joe saw the light, and gasped, "By the Supreme Court! Vanessa, no way!" he shouted, loudly.

Vanessa was pale, too. Nervously, she was leading Joe to the library to get quick access to a computer, since she had left her own laptop at the hotel. She replied to him as they were jogging there, "Well, hon, it's either the President or the Supreme Court! Take your pick!"

Joe bit his lip. This was too unbelievable. "Maybe Frank and Callie came up with the same thing," he added as they reached the library, winded. He took a moment to get his breath back, as did Vanessa.

"Maybe- I hope so," she said at last. Then, she headed into the library, followed closely by Joe. After getting a login ID, she typed in the names of Pogle and Thornton, tapping her fingernails impatiently as she waited to get any information she could get.

"There it is!" Joe said at last. He read the words out loud. "Green was right. Pogle only had a living mother. She's in Nevada now. I guess we could call her. I… I don't feel like taking a trip now. I have a feeling that something's going to happen, soon! Hey- look up the other guy while we're here," he said, ignoring the stern look from the librarian who obviously wanted to go home for the day.

"Five minutes!" she said.

Joe turned to her and gave her a thumbs up sign. She turned away, and Joe shrugged.

"Okay, okay," Vanessa said hurriedly as he fingers whipped across the keyboard. "Thornton… yeah, okay. Married. Divorced." Suddenly, Vanessa paled and covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, God! Joe!"

Joe caught her as she leaned back against him. "What? What is it, Van?! Are you okay?!" He couldn't believe how white Vanessa was.

"No," she whispered, and pointed to the screen. "Look at his ex -wife's name… and they had a daughter!"

Joe was confused, and then he saw exactly what she meant, and he felt his heart stop a beat. The ex -wife had gone back to her maiden name- Barkalow.


	24. Chapter 24

_Thank you to the three of you who always leave such great reviews. Alicia, I really appreciated all of the reviews that you left today. I'm glad that you like the story. You know, the first time I posted this story on H.D.A. it didn't get as much feedback as my earlier ones, but it's always been my favorite up through "Fire and Ice." It took me forever to come up with this plot, and I really had fun experimenting with red herrings, characterization, and plot twists. I guess you never know what's a hit or not—go figure! Anyway, this is one of my favorite chapters b/c I liked experimenting with viewpoint and action. Hope you enjoy!_

**I am issuing a warning on this chapter. I don't know if it's a tissue or an angst warning, but… be prepared…**

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 24

As Frank and Callie made their way to the National Air and Space Museum, Callie suddenly clutched Frank's hand tightly. Turning to her, Frank met her eyes with concern.

"Cal? Are you okay?" he asked.

Callie bit her lip, and looked up shyly at him. Frank tried not to smile. One of the things he loved so much about Callie was that although she was courageous and independent, she still had an innocence about her that he always wanted to protect. He saw such innocence in her eyes now, and waited for her to speak. "Frank, I… I know you said you want to do this, but really—it's okay. Don't bother with Jenna. Her type doesn't really listen too well after all. Why not just leave well enough alone?"

Frank gently squeezed her hand in return. "I don't expect you to understand, hon. You're not the one who acted like a moron—I was. And personally, I AM curious as to why Jenna went to all this trouble to set us up. I mean, aren't you?" he asked.

Callie shrugged and managed a small smile. "Whatever makes you happy," she replied.

"Thanks," he responded with a wink, releasing her hand and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Callie looked up at him, the Museum now plainly in sight. "Do you think we should call Joe and tell him what we discovered?" she asked him.

"Well, we should be back soon enough," Frank answered, but then paused to look at her. "What do YOU think? I guess it couldn't hurt."

"I think we should," Callie replied, hugging Frank around his waist. "Believe me, I hope this will be over sooner than later, but I'd rather Joe not worry about us. Besides, what's the harm? Do you have your phone with you? Mine's at the hotel."

"Good place for a cell phone," Frank said to her, teasingly.

"Just hand me the phone," Callie replied with a smile.

First, Callie tried her hotel room, but Vanessa didn't answer. Then, she tried Joe's room, but he didn't answer there, either. Finally, she tried Joe's cell phone, but it went directly to his voice mail, as did Vanessa's. With a sigh, she called Joe's cell back and left a detailed message, explaining their theory about how and why the Mints were going to be the next targets of these thieves. She also told him where they were headed, about when they'd be back and added, at the last minute, a request that Joe please get take-out and not eat all of it before they got back.

Frank watched all of this in amusement and tenderness. It was just like Callie to be thoughtful like that, and equally like her to get in a quip or two at Joe when the opportunity arose. Still, he couldn't help but to be pleased how well Callie and Joe had gotten along on this trip and how their relationship was growing steadily more closer. Although he had no idea where this case was going, he at least knew where the next targets would be, and he was excited about getting his personal life straightened out—hopefully. He hoped Joe and Vanessa had come across some new information today, and then they could discuss the case.

When Callie hung up, Frank reached for her hand again, and thought to himself for the hundredth time what a fool he had been. Together, they walked up to the Museum.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Jenna Barkalow was watching Frank Hardy come to the Museum walkway with his little girlfriend, and felt the color rise to her cheeks. How DARE he come here! She had her sources, and she knew that the two had gone to see Dave Shaunessey, that stupid model. _He must have told them everything_, she thought bitterly. _I'll have to make sure that he pays for that. _There were two things that Jenna detested and would not tolerate in her life. The first was nosiness. The second was not getting what she wanted. And she had wanted Frank Hardy.

It had been just her luck to find out that he was an investigator. At first, it had seemed innocuous enough. He was young, still. And, an opportunity to spend time with him presented itself if she could talk to him about the Museum robberies. Of course she knew where and when things would occur; that hadn't been a problem. However, as she realized that Frank and his pesky brother really were understanding what no one else seemed to be figuring out, she had been worried. On the other hand, it gave her a great opportunity to spy on them, to let her sources know where they'd be, what they were thinking. She could distract them with phony leads and false ideas. And, in the end, she knew she'd win over Frank.

But she hadn't; she had come close, but she hadn't. Very few men could resist her, and she was angry- _very angry_-that Frank had managed to. Of course- Why else would he be here? She only knew that he'd have to suffer. Better yet, she thought silently, as a smile began to creep up her face, let the girlfriend suffer. Give him one more chance. If not, they'd die together. And she knew exactly how to do it. In two days' time, a whole lot of people would be suffering anyway, and she would be gone, richer than her wildest dreams, vindicated to preserve her family legacy.

Her cell phone rang, and she looked caller i.d. She picked it up, and said, simply, "Yes, daddy?" As she listened, the smile she had worn thinking of her revenge quickly changed into a frown. So, Joe Hardy and his little girl had been logging into some computers. That means they had probably figured it out. Well, maybe. Joe wasn't that smart. She listened to her father, who had just been on the phone with his accomplice, and smiled. Soon, she'd also know six other men who would work with her family. They'd be unstoppable. She got chills thinking about it.

"Daddy? I've run across a little problem," she said into the phone. "And I'd like to get rid of it. Here's my idea." With that, she informed her father of exactly what she was going to do, and she heard him laugh. What did death matter to her father? If he was caught, he'd die anyway. He already escaped it once; now it was his duty to ensure that his plan would prevail and his friends would be pardoned. He'd do it with a bang, too, Jenna though wryly as she spoke, knowing the double meaning to her transient thought. As she hung up the phone, she nodded her head for her friend, Sage Tyson, to come over. He was also undercover as a "guide". His father was awaiting the death penalty; he had all the motivation in the world to help her, and knew what had been going on. After a minute, he nodded and left. Jenna waited for Frank and Callie.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Joe and Vanessa stood outside the library in shock. "I can't believe it!" Joe exclaimed. "Jenna?! SHE's involved? I mean, I guess she must be, or at least know what's going on. Unbelievable!" he finished, still shaking his head.

"You should call Frank and tell him what you found," Vanessa suggested, as they started walking to the Metro.

"Yeah, I guess I should," he said, thoughtfully. "I should also tell him our theory that the next hit- the big one- is either the White House or the Supreme Court building. Maybe I should call Brian, too."

Joe reached for his phone, which he had turned off when they had gone into the library. As soon as he lifted it up, he saw that he had missed a message. Muttering under his breath at the bad timing, he dialed into his voicemail and listen to the message from Callie.

Vanessa saw his face go pale. "Joe? What is it? Who was that?" she asked, concerned.

Joe turned to her in astonishment. "That was Callie. She and Frank are on their way to see Jenna- right now! We have to call them! Callie also said that they came up with a theory that the Mints are going to be hit next- but which one? And, if so, how does that discount our theory?" He related to Vanessa how Frank had come up with that thought via the slogan "So Defendants Will Prevail," and she shook her head in amazement.

Joe immediately went to call Frank, but he kept getting a busy signal, as if the line was disconnected or all circuits were busy. He tried Callie's phone- that went to her voicemail. He left a message for her at once.

Looking at Vanessa, Joe couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something very bad was happening. They decided to return to the hotel and wait for Frank and Callie. Before that, though, they agreed to check out the National Air and Space Museum anyway, in the unlikely event that Frank and Callie were still there. Joe held onto Vanessa's hand tightly as they approached the Metro station, praying that his instincts would be uncharacteristically wrong.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Jenna headed out of the Museum, purposefully running into Frank and Callie. "Oh!" she said, feigning surprise. "How ARE you?"

Frank met her eyes evenly. "We've been a lot better," he said to her. "And we need to talk to you- now."

Jenna tried not to get too annoyed at the way Frank was holding onto Callie. She checked Callie out again, and admitted that she WAS good-looking. _But not as good-looking as me_, she had to add. _And she won't be so pretty soon_. She tried not to smile. "Okay," she said to them. "Let's head to the back, where we can talk in private, without so many people."

Callie eyed her suspiciously. That had been almost too easy, as if Jenna had been suspecting that they were coming. _But that's impossible_, Callie concluded. She linked her fingers through Frank's as they walked to the back in silence, and Callie realized, for some reason, she was afraid. _Let's go back, Frank. We don't need to do this_, she mentally pleaded with him. But, Frank didn't seem to be on the same wavelength with her. Instinctively, she moved closer to him, and she saw him give her a reassuring wink.

The back of the Museum was quiet, almost isolated. It wasn't exactly dusk yet, so Washington, D.C., seemed quiet, tranquil- almost serene. The occasional biker or pedestrian passed by, but there was no real transportation around. Callie, for some reason, felt like this was the calm before the storm, and she had no idea why. Like Joe Hardy, she'd always had a keen sense of instinct, something Frank either didn't have or chose to ignore most of the time. The stress was beginning to get to her, and she fought back the beginnings of a headache again. _My doctors would kill me if they knew that THIS was my vacation_, she thought, ironically. Reaching into her purse, she slipped on her glasses quietly.

Jenna moved close to the side walkway, which was relatively obscure. Finally, she turned to them. "Oh, I didn't know you wore glasses, Callie," she said, surprised.

Almost instantly, Frank turned to Callie, concerned. Why was she wearing her glasses? Was she in pain? Jenna's voice brought him to face HER again, though. Frank noticed how Callie had pointedly ignored Jenna's question.

"Jenna," Frank cut in, angry. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Do I?" Jenna asked, innocently. "Come now, baby. Don't be mad."

Callie stiffened at once. _Baby? Was this girl insane?_ Frank was equally puzzled.

"What?!" he stammered.

"Well, what do you want to say?" Jenna asked.

"We know about Dave Shaughnessy, and how you paid him off to set Callie and me up. We know you've been lying to both of us. Why?" Frank asked, straightforwardly.

At once, Jenna reached into her bag and pulled out a gun, leveling it straight at Frank and Callie. "You ask a lot of questions," Jenna said evenly. "I don't like nosy people."

At the sight of the gun, Frank gasped and instinctively shoved Callie behind him. "Put that away!" he demanded to her. "Are you crazy?!" he asked in disbelief.

Jenna just smiled. Callie felt chills run through her spine as she looked at Jenna around Frank's shoulder. There wasn't a shred of compassion in her eyes. Was all this over Frank? She swallowed, hard, and held onto Frank's arm.

"Crazy?" Jenna said at last. "I wouldn't say that. There is a fine line, though, between genius and insanity. Have you ever heard that?"

"What do you want?" Frank asked, running through a thousand ideas to get him and Callie out of this. At the moment, nothing seemed feasible.

"The cell phone- on your belt," Jenna said. "Throw it in the lake."

"What?!" Frank cried.

"Now," Jenna said, calmly.

Slowly, Frank reached for his belt and did what he was instructed to do.

"Walk ahead of me," Jenna said firmly. "Don't try anything. MOVE!"

Frank grabbed Callie and put her in front of him. If Jenna was going to shoot, at least he'd be hit first and maybe she could get away. He kept a hand on her back and could feel her trembling as she walked along with him. _Oh, God. What have I done?_ He asked himself, numbly. He looked around for a chance to escape, but there was no way he could get both himself AND Callie away in time. He'd even settle for getting Callie to safety alone, but he couldn't talk to her.

Finally, they reached a side street. A van was parked there, rather inconspicuously. "Get in!" they heard Jenna order.

Frank slowly turned around, hands raised to show he wasn't going to try anything. "I said get in!" Jenna barked again.

"Jenna," Frank said in desperation. "Let Callie go. Whatever is going on is between you and me. Please. I'll do whatever you want."

Jenna smiled and chuckled. "Oh, no honey. Whatever is going on, as you say, is between all of us now!" She was serious for a moment. "Wait- so you don't know?!"

"Know what?" Frank asked her.

"Never mind," she said. "Now!" she shouted.

In that moment, two men, dressed all in black, grabbed him and Callie. Frank winced as he saw Callie slammed up against the van, sending her glasses flying, and forming a small cut on her face, close to her eye. Although he knew he was being handcuffed, it was far more painful to see Callie being handcuffed and manhandled. He felt a gag being placed over his mouth so that he couldn't speak, and the same was done for Callie. Then, the back door was opened up, and first Frank, and then Callie, were tossed roughly in the back before the door was slammed shut and locked. As the vehicle took off, they were both sent flying roughly against the van walls, having no idea where they were going.

Frank managed to crawl next to Callie, which was difficult since his hands were behind his back. He wanted to talk to her to see if she was all right, but he couldn't. He could only look at her, and he saw the terror in her eyes as she fought back tears. He felt his heart stop, knowing he had gotten her into this. _I can't think about that now,_ he grimaced to himself. _I have to think…of a way out…_

The van kept tossing them violently around and, by the time it stopped, both Frank and Callie had aching shoulders. Someone came into the back and blindfolded them. Frank felt himself begin to panic when he heard Callie's muffled cries for help. He had no idea where they were being taken, although he was roughly pushed forward several times and from the echoes and footsteps it sounded like a big hallway of some sort.

Finally, they reached some sort of door, where Frank was pushed in and forced to his knees. He felt Callie fall next to him, and was both horrified by her winces of pain and relieved that she was still with him.

Finally, he heard Jenna say, "I can take it from here, boys. Thanks. Just get off the blindfolds. Actually, wait here one more minute." Evidently, they did as they were told because soon Frank could see as the blindfold was removed. Callie's blindfold was also removed.

Frank looked around, and realized at once that they were in some sort of marbled room- it looked like a basement. It was cold and hard and, Frank noticed, it had a very step staircase leading to the bottom… and who knows what was there?! It reminded him of a tomb.

Jenna reached behind his head and undid his gag, as she did for Callie. The two coughed loudly, trying to get their bearings, and to get rid of the awful taste and the dry feeling in their mouths.

Keeping an eye on Callie the whole time, Frank asked again. "Jenna, please," he sputtered. "Let her go! I'll do whatever you want."

"Walk to the staircase," Jenna ordered, and Frank felt himself roughly lifted to his feet, as Callie was. Much to his surprise, the two men undid their handcuffs, but continued to watch them. Jenna, Frank noticed, had somehow come in possession of a much larger gun. He felt the sweat on his forehead. He watched as Jenna gave the men a nod, and they left, waiting, presumably by the huge marble door for her.

Frank stood with Callie by the top of the staircase, facing Jenna. He was afraid to move—Jenna looked like she might actually use the gun.

"Okay," Jenna said at last. "Frank, you have a choice. You can come with me, or go with Callie."

"What?" Frank asked, startled.

"You heard me. I'll spare your life, give you another chance to become reacquainted with me."

"Fine," he replied, trying to buy time to think of something. He could almost feel Callie's fear surrounding him. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere no one will ever look," Jenna replied steadily. "Now, are you coming or what?"

Frank was desperate. "I… I mean…"

"Oh, shut up!" Jenna said, annoyed. "Clearly you don't want to see the light. What's she got that I don't, anyway?" Jenna asked, nastily.

"That's what this is about?" Callie gasped, feeling woozy. She wasn't used to this much activity anymore.

"Go to the foot of the staircase- both of you!" Jenna ordered. Frank and Callie did as they were told.

"Now," Jenna said to Frank, "Push her!"

"What?!" Frank and Callie cried together.

"I said push her!" Jenna said, keeping her gun trained steadily on both of them. "I'll give you a moment to say good-bye."

Frank looked down the staircase. It was a horrible, steep drop. He looked up. He wasn't close enough to run at Jenna. _Oh, God_.

Caught in an impossible position, Frank took Callie in his arms and held her tightly. He'd never, ever push her or hurt her in any way. What was he going to do? Callie clung to him tightly, not speaking, tears streaming down her face. Frank felt his own tears start to form, but pushed them back- or tried to.

"Never!" he said fiercely to Jenna. He turned Callie towards the staircase, still holding her, so that he'd be the first one to get shot, if that happened.

Jenna looked bored. "Frank, you either push your girlfriend down those stairs, or I'll shoot YOU, and the force of it will not only kill you, but push her down anyway. You choose. OR," she added on second thought, "I could have one of my guys push her while you watch, and then shoot you. So many possibilities."

Frank held Callie tightly to him. "No! WHY are you doing this?" he begged, unable to stop his own tears.

Jenna shrugged. "I don't like it when people are nosy, and I don't like rejection. You were nosy; you rejected me. Besides, you were coming too close."

"To what?" Frank asked in disbelief.

"You'll never know," Jenna said. "Look, I'm tired. Boys!" she called. "It's time to show the little lady a quick way down. Say good-bye to your girlfriend, love." Jenna said with a smirk.

"No!" Frank cried, holding on to Callie for dear life.

The next minutes passed by in slow motion, as horrific events often do. Frank felt himself being pulled back by someone totally by surprise who must have sneaked up on him. He felt Callie being ripped from his arms. He struggled with all his strength and came… so close … to being set free. In absolute horror, he watched as some man, dressed in black, pushed Callie – hard- and saw her flailing as she sailed back through the air-- and went flying down the staircase.

In one instant, just one- their eyes met- and time stood still.

"No!" Frank screamed as the unearthly sound emanated from his throat. Oh, God- this couldn't be happening!

And then- he, himself, was thrown forward against the railing.

"You had your chance, Frank,"

Those were the last words that he heard before he saw the gun, and he heard the gunshot ring out. He felt the bullet slam into his body- it felt like a thousand shards of glass had exploded in him. That was all he remembered.

And then- it was done.


	25. Chapter 25

_Thank you so much for those of you who left reviews on the last chapter! I appreciate it!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 25

Vanessa looked at Joe and sighed. They were standing outside the National Air and Space Museum, and there was no sign of Frank, Callie, or Jenna. They hadn't really expected them to be there, but they were hoping. Although it was getting later in the day, the light was still out since it was summer, and they were trying to decide what their next move should be.

"Joe?" Vanessa asked him. She sensed how worried he was, and she had to admit that she wasn't exactly feeling confidant about everything.

Joe turned to her, a frown on his face. "Yeah?" he asked.

"What do you want to do, honey? I mean, we've tried their phones the whole time. Callie's keeps going to voicemail, and Frank's isn't even picking up at all now. The people at the museum said that Jenna was still supposed to be working, but no one's seen her for almost two hours. I'm getting worried! Should we check around here, or go back to the hotel? I mean, they DID say that they'd meet us there soon." As Vanessa spoke, she tried to make her voice remain calm for Joe's sake. This was terrible. They knew Jenna was connected to their case somehow, and that a big target of national importance was going to be hit soon. That, on top of the fact that Callie and Frank suspected something was going on with the U.S. Mints, was getting her very worried.

Joe shrugged, and reached out for Vanessa's hand. He gave it a quick squeeze. "I don't know," he said remorsefully. "I guess we should go back." He hesitated.

Vanessa picked up on it right away. "But you'd like to check around here first, right?" she interrupted. "That's fine, Joe. I mean, Callie and Frank had to have been here. If there was something wrong, maybe they left evidence behind; you know, a clue of some sort."

Joe smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Van. I WOULD like to check it out, if it's okay with you," he said.

"Of course. Joe?" Vanessa questioned him, releasing his hand and slipping her arm around his waist.

He turned to her, curious.

"I just… let's make sure we're not reading too deeply into this. It could be a perfectly harmless little crush that Jenna has on Frank, and maybe she really doesn't have anything to do with this," she added, hoping to make him feel better.

Joe gave her a quick hug as they walked. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up," he replied, still worried. "But you know as well as I do that she _does_ have something to do with it. It's too much of a coincidence, especially when we found out from Frank how she went to all the trouble to pay that Dave guy off. I mean, where does a 23- year -old get that type of money? From dad, of course," he responded, answering his own question. They were making their way around the building.

"Do you think he's involved?" Vanessa asked Joe.

"I don't know. I doubt it. What do you think? You know him better than I do," Joe replied, continuing to look around the premises.

Vanessa paused to think as she, too, looked around. They had headed to the back area, a lovely, isolated spot near a lake. Finally, she answered him. "Maybe I misjudged him, Joe, but I don't think so. Honestly, I'm surprised he got involved- he probably just got suckered into Jenna's game," she said angrily. "Anyway," she went on, "I kind of liked him. He really DID seem nice, and I think his interest in Callie was genuine. You can't fake that sort of thing." She stopped talking when she noticed that Joe had wandered way off, and was kneeling down in the distance. She hurried to catch up to him, and noticed he was kneeling on the ground next to what looked to be a relatively deserted side street. She wondered how he had gone that far that quickly.

"Joe?" she asked, walking towards him. "What is it? What did you find?"

When Joe stood up again, his face was pale. He turned to Vanessa and held out an object in his hands. "Something's wrong," he said, hoarsely. "Look. These are Callie's glasses."

Vanessa swallowed, hard, as Joe's words finally hit her. "Oh," was all she could mutter.

Joe took a deep breath. _Be calm_, he willed himself. _They can't have gotten that far. Frank can take care of himself._ But even as he thought these things, he felt a chill run through him, knowing that if he had found Callie's glasses, then Frank probably couldn't have protected both himself AND Callie from whomever had taken them. It only took him another minute to notice fresh tire tracks, as if a car had spun away quickly.

Finally, Joe turned to Vanessa. "Van," he said, determined, "we need to go to the police right away. Actually, I do. I need to tell them about the Mints and our suspicions about White House and the Supreme Court. I also have to tell them about Frank and Callie. Whatever's going on is gonna happen soon, and that means they're in serious trouble." He could feel his heart start beating faster as he spoke.

"What do you want me to do?" Vanessa asked, knowing now was not he time to argue with Joe. If he wanted to go to the police alone, she new there was a reason for it.

"I want you to see what you can find out about any of the U.S. Mints, and whether there has been a robbery lately, or some sort of problem. I also…" Joe paused, and choked out his next words, "want you to keep checking any reports of people to emergency rooms in the area. And…" he couldn't go on, and turned away.

Vanessa felt like crying. _And the morgues_, she thought silently.

Instantly, she reached for Joe, and hugged him tightly, letting him cling to her for support. "I will," she whispered.

With a final nod of thanks, and another hug, Joe turned away from his girlfriend, knowing that somehow he had to find his brother and Callie. He just prayed he wasn't too late.

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Frank Hardy weakly opened his eyes, totally confused about where he was. "Ugh," he moaned, as he realized, slowly, the he was on something cold and hard. It took him another moment to realize that he was lying vertically on a staircase. All of a sudden, the memories came flashing back at him as he realized what had happened, and he couldn't believe he was actually alive.

As he tried to sit up, a wave of pain ripped through his body that was so intense that he almost passed out again. He breathed deeply for a moment, and tried to get his bearings. He managed to turn toward the source of his pain, and noticed immediately that his shoulder and neck were covered in blood, and he was still bleeding. It hurt to even look at it, as he could barely move his neck. Still he did it again, and tried not to panic. He couldn't move his arm, but he realized that at least he still HAD an arm and a shoulder. Frank reached up with his right arm to touch his neck, and noticed that he hadn't been hit there. Still, his shoulder throbbed and he felt…so weak…

He closed his eyes, willing the darkness to encircle him and to take away the pain.

_Callie! _Frank opened his eyes at once and felt his heart pound in his chest. _Where was she?! She was torn from his arms. He had seen her being pushed. The look of terror in her eyes…_

As he sat up, a cry of intense pain escaped his lips, and he became woozy, the world swimming for an instant in front of him. Still, he didn't care. He didn't care about himself, or the case, or Jenna, or WHY she had done what she did. He didn't care about her nonsensical words, or the fact that moving was making him even struggle to stay conscious. All he cared about was finding Callie. As Frank pushed himself slowly down the stairs, he gripped the banister intently with his right hand to keep from falling down. He could barely stand up, so he didn't try. Instead, he slid down stair by stair, desperate to find Callie; dreading what he might find.

There was little light, but enough for Frank to be able to see. As he slid down slowly, he squinted, trying to find Callie, fighting off the light-headedness he was feeling, and trying, unsuccessfully, to ignore the intense pain in his shoulder, which felt like it was on fire. _Please God, Please God_, he kept repeating to himself. Callie _had _to be okay. The idea that she wouldn't be literally didn't even cross Frank's mind. Without that hope, he'd give up. He needed to have something to live for here, to make it through this.

Before he saw her, Frank heard her. The voice seemed a million miles away, but there it was. He felt his heart skip a beat and his blood run cold. Callie's voice, so far away, was a soft whimper, barely discernable. He fought with all his strength to get to her quickly and, as he approached, he heard her voice louder, and realized, in horror, that she appeared to be crying out softly in agony. He couldn't see her yet, but he already felt tears slip from his burning eyes. _At least she's alive_, he had to tell himself, although he found no comfort or solace in his thoughts.

Finally, at long last, Frank saw her as he reached the bottom of the stairs. She was slightly off to one side, on her back. She was moving her neck back and forth and crying. It looked like she wanted to scream, but… couldn't. Frank pushed himself off the stairs and crawled forward to her, using his right arm as a crutch. He made it to her side, and gently touched her cheek with a trembling hand. _God, she's so white… shaking so much…and her soft cries_. It was too much for Frank, who felt like he was going to give into his overwhelming sorrow and pain any minute.

"Callie," he whispered to her, trying to focus.

Callie opened her eyes and saw Frank. Or was it? Never… never in her whole life- not with her migraine headaches, not in any sports injuries- had she ever felt pain as intense as this. It consumed her. Why… why couldn't she pass out? She really wished she HAD died. How long had she been here? _God, make it stop,_ she pleaded silently. But she received no answer.

"Callie," she heard the voice again, forcing her to the present, out of the hazy mist of pain. She felt him touch her face.

Again, she heard her name, and finally was able to focus on Frank's face. "Frank," she tried to say, but even to her own ears it came out like a moan.

"I'm here," he said softly back, and kissed her forehead. She could still barely make him out, as he came in and out of focus. She felt him take her hand, and started to involuntarily cry harder, although with each sob, her body screamed in pain for her to stop. Still, she squeezed his hand back, forcing herself to focus her pain. Then, she realized that she had to pull it together. She needed help. Frank was here. He was alive.

"Callie." She heard Frank's voice again, and hadn't even realized she'd closed her eyes. Weakly, she opened them, and tried to control her breathing. As soon as she could focus on Frank, she gasped, and then cried out in pain. She felt Frank squeezing her hand tightly, and saw the tears running down his face. _Must be brave_, she willed herself. She wondered how bad she must look.

"You're hurt," she whispered to him, looking at his shoulder.

"I'm okay," he said softly back to her, brushing back tears from her face.

"Liar," she whispered through gritted teeth.

In another situation, Frank would have laughed at that, but there was nothing remotely funny about this. He hoped to God he could stay awake long enough to help Callie. He HAD to do it. He looked down at Callie, and saw the anguish on her face. What frightened him the most, though, was that he saw no blood. He could only imagine how bad her internal injuries must be.

"What hurts?" he managed to get out.

"What doesn't?" Callie asked, fighting back another wave of pain.

Frank covered his face with his good hand and tried to compose himself. What was he going to do? He had no idea where they were. He knew he was losing a lot of blood, pain aside. And Callie… he couldn't watch her like this. He really couldn't. It was like living in a nightmare, but it was REAL. Suddenly, he felt her touch his arm with a trembling hand.

"I'll be all right," she said softly, meeting his eyes. "We'll get out of this."

"Can you breathe okay?" he asked her, trying to get as much information as he could from her to try something- _anything- _to take away some of her pain.

She nodded, slowly, as she held Frank's hand. "There are three problems," she whimpered.

"Go ahead," he said, feeling the tears in his eyes again.

"My head hurts, but that's okay. It's probably a small concussion or just a bad bump."

Frank smiled through his tears. "Self -diagnosis, huh?" he asked, trying to hold himself together.

"Shut up," Callie whispered with the faintest trace of a smile on her pale face.

"Keep going," Frank prodded, desperately trying to keep her awake and talking.

"My wrist kind of hurts. I think it was the way I landed," she said, weakly.

Frank looked at Callie's left wrist and noticed how swollen it was. Gingerly, he touched it and heard Callie suppress a cry. He felt right away that it was broken, and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"On the bright side, I think I prevented myself from breaking my neck," she said, and managed a small wink.

"Oh, Callie," Frank whispered. Only she could find a bright side in this predicament. He shifted over and almost passed out again. He saw how heavily he was bleeding, and things began to seem bleaker than ever.

"Is that all?" Frank asked her, knowing it wasn't.

"I really, really hurt my back," she said at last. She had to pause as the pain almost overwhelmed her for a moment. She didn't want to scare Frank, but that was her major injury, and she knew it.

"Can you feel your legs?" Frank asked, feeling like a robot. He'd lose it soon; he knew he couldn't watch Callie go through this.

"Yeah," Callie said with a small smile. "I'm not paralyzed, don't worry. Although they have some nice wheelchairs now a days," she said lightly, trying to comfort him.

"Don't even joke!" Frank choked out. He couldn't believe Callie was holding it together better than he was.

As he looked at her through tear- filled eyes, a thousand emotions went through him. HE had gotten her into this. Callie had said to leave it alone with Jenna! She wouldn't even be here if he hadn't entertained thoughts of being with Jenna to begin with. And Callie- God, she didn't deserve this. She had been through so much pain already, and had overcome so many obstacles with an unbelievably positive attitude and amazing strength and grace. He knew, at that moment, that IF she made it through this, and IF he did, which he was beginning to doubt, that he couldn't be with her any more. He wouldn't allow himself to cause her any more pain in her life. He loved her too deeply for that.

"I'm so sorry I…" he whispered, unable to complete his thought. He lay down on the floor next to her, weakness finally overcoming him, and he struggled to hold onto consciousness.

"You're sorry you what?" Callie managed, looking at him through her own tears, hating to see him hurting over what looked to be a pretty bad injury.

Frank looked at her weakly and he knew what to say. "I'm sorry I couldn't hold onto you," he whispered, knowing full well the double meaning to his words. He rested his head on her shoulder, unable to lift himself up, wanting to comfort Callie, but unable to move her.

Callie reached out to him with her good hand and touched his face as he passed out at last. "I think we both need to hold on, somehow, buddy," she whispered as tears ran down her face.

Lost in her own pain and consumed with worry about Frank, she barely noticed when the door opened from above….


	26. Chapter 26

_Thanks so much for your reviews. Alicia and MissMe113, I am so looking forward to reading the latest chapter of YOUR stories- YAY! Just give me a day or so to leave feedback!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 26

Joe Hardy looked at his watch again. Time seemed to be moving so slowly. He had spoken with Chief Pierce at great length, and was just now taking a short break, sitting outside the precinct. Joe tried to fight back the uneasiness in the pit of his stomach at the thought of where Frank and Callie might be. Although the Chief had listened to him and his theories about possible threats to national security, he gave Joe the rather dubious look he was used to from police officers. Thankfully, Brian had agreed to come with him and, with his help, the Chief gave a bit more credence to Joe's story, and would be contacting the Secret Service immediately. Even more important to Joe, however, was locating his brother and Callie. To his credit, Chief Pierce had seemed concerned about that and had officers out scouring the city looking for them.

Lost in his reverie, Joe barely heard his cell phone ringing. However, he was able to pick it up before it went automatically to his voicemail.

"Hello?" he said into the speaker.

"Joe? It's me." He smiled at the sound of Vanessa's voice, his one comfort in all of this.

"Hey baby," he said, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. "What's going on?"

"You're not going to believe this," she said breathlessly into the speaker.

"What?" he asked, instantly more alert than he had been.

"I called up Phil and asked him for some help. I told him that you guys were in the middle of a case, and we needed some info, fast. Of course, I didn't tell him what the case was about," she added quickly.

Joe raised his eyebrows. Phil Cohen was a good friend of his and Frank's at school. Sometimes Phil was so smart he actually made Frank look stupid, which was an almost impossible feat. His area of specialty was computers, and he was going in the fall to major in computer science and programming at M.I.T. Joe couldn't believe he hadn't thought of calling Phil before this, and was grateful that Vanessa had thought of it.

"Good call, Van. What did he say?" Joe inquired.

"Joe," Vanessa went on hurriedly, "Frank and Callie were right! There have been a huge series of missing funds via 'computer problems' that have occurred recently. Apparently, the government must be going nuts. I mean, money just doesn't disappear like that."

Joe sat up, getting excited. If it was true, then Joe knew who the men were who were behind this. The only problem was locating them. But, if Jenna really was the daughter of one of them, then she could probably lead them to their man. _Then again_, Joe thought with a sigh, _where did Jenna go?_

"Van, did you find out if all of the Mints were affected?" he asked. Maybe they could pre-empt the next strike.

"Well," Vanessa went on. "That's the thing. Phil found out that Philadelphia has suffered some heavy losses, but that took quite a while to find out. One Mint should be enough to hit, right? And they did hit that one before." She paused before continuing. "Joe," she went on, "This is serious. Something like this could put the U.S. into a major recession. We have to think of a way to get into the system, or at least tell someone who knows how to about it. Maybe there was an old pattern from the first case that people could look into- see if it's a repeat."

Joe's mind was whirling. "Okay," he said into the phone, more to himself than to Vanessa, "Let's think. You're right- there might well be a repeat pattern. But… I think that more than one Mint MUST be affected."

"Why? Because it's easier to disguise in smaller amounts?" Vanessa asked.

"No!" Joe said, suddenly excited. "Don't forget they WANT people to know who they are! So, you're right that it'd be easier to disguise in smaller amounts, but if the code is right- you know, "So Defendants Will Prevail"- then all of the Mints would have to be hit! Plus, they'd HAVE to go after the Supreme Court or the President, if that's their final goal!" Joe took a deep breath. "Vanessa," he asked, "Is it possible for Phil to find out what Mints have been hit?"

"I guess so," Vanessa replied with hesitation. "But really- it would take a long time. So…"

"So," Joe continued, picking up on her train of thought, "This is a guessing game. I need time to figure this out."

"I don't think we have much time," she replied, seriously.

"I know, babe. Thanks. I have to go- call ya later. Love you," he added before hanging up.

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Joe ran back into the police precinct, and bumped into Brian almost immediately. He thought about it a minute, and then decided that Brian would be the best one to inform about everything that was going on. The police Chief had probably had enough with his lofty theories, and Brian never seemed to laugh at him. As he got Brian's attention and related the facts to him, Brian looked stung, but agreed to be the leeway to the Chief. He promised to call Joe as soon as he heard any information.

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About a half an hour later, as Joe was going back to the hotel via the Metro, his cell phone rang again. _That was quick_, he thought to himself, expecting it to be Brian. However, it wasn't Brian. It was Chief Pierce.

"Joe," the Chief said, not even waiting for Joe to say hello. "We have some bad news for you."

Joe swallowed, hard. What could have happened this quickly? "Yes?" he asked.

"Your brother and Callie Shaw were found on the outskirts of town in a rather remote storage facility for Supreme Court hard-copy records."

Joe felt his mouth go dry. "What? How? Are they..." he managed to croak out before he was interrupted.

"All we know is that they're being rushed to the hospital and that neither one was conscious when they were picked up. I have no idea how serious their injuries are, or what happened to them. We're interviewing the person who rescued them right now, but I suggest you get there immediately. We'll contact your girlfriend and request that she meet you there as soon as possible." He went on to give Joe the name of the hospital and told him which stop to exit in order to get there in the most expeditious fashion.

As Joe hung up, he fought back the tears in his eyes. So he had been right. Something bad HAD happened to Frank and Callie. But by whom? Jenna? Or had they been taken before they even got to see Jenna? And who had rescued them? As Joe was about to cry, he realized that there was no reason to panic- not yet. They were alive, and that was all he could hope for. Blinking back his tears, he looked at the time and gauged how long it would take him to get to the hospital. He didn't think a train had moved so slowly in his entire life.

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Finally, after what seemed like forever, Joe got to his stop and sprinted to the hospital. By the time he got there-- it had been a long run--he was almost out of breath. He reached the lobby and saw Vanessa almost instantly. Tears streaming down her face, she ran into Joe's arms and hugged him tightly, which he returned. Almost at once, though, he pulled back from her and met her eyes.

"What… did you… find out?" he panted.

Vanessa tried to calm down, and said simply, "Hon, I just got here myself. We need to go to the emergency room and find out what's going on." Together, they ran through the hospital trying to find their destination.

After being assured that Frank and Callie were, indeed, there, Joe and Vanessa could do nothing but wait. And wait they did. Joe didn't think he had paced more or drank more coffee in his lifetime, trying to burn away the awful possibilities of what could happen. After they were there for several hours, a nurse came out and indicated that a doctor wanted to see him. Not even waiting for Vanessa, Joe ran to see the doctor in the hallway.

"Mr. Hardy?" he inquired. Joe could tell he was shocked at how young he was. He knew the doctor had probably expected his father to be there.

"Yeah- yes," he stammered. "I'm Frank's brother. Is he going to be okay?"

The doctor smiled. "He'll be fine. The police Chief called us at once so we were expecting him. We didn't know the severity of his injuries."

"What are they?" Joe asked, dreading the answer.

"Well, as I'm sure you know, your brother sustained a bullet wound at a very close distance."

"What?!" Joe exclaimed, horrified. "He was shot?!" Only Vanessa, who had just reached him, was able to calm him down by taking his hand.

The doctor gave him a moment to absorb the information before continuing. "Yes. He was shot at close range right here," he said, pointing to his shoulder area. "Here, in the region at the top of the shoulder and the collar-bone. Whomever hit him was either trying not to kill him or was a very bad shot."

"And?" Joe asked, finally allowing himself to breathe. "He'll be okay, then?"

"Yes," the doctor answered. "We had to do surgery to remove the bullet and to repair the damage. His collar- bone was shattered and his shoulder needed a lot of work as well. The biggest problem was the amount of blood he lost. We had to give him several blood transfusions to keep him alive. He's very lucky. In another half-hour, he would have bled to death- it was a very bad injury in terms of blood loss."

"So what now?" Joe asked.

"He'll stay for a day or two in the hospital, just so we can check on his progress. Then, he'll have to do some physical therapy and probably be on some pain medication for a while. His arm will be immobile, of course. But… he's young, and strong, and he's expected to make a full recovery, barring any unforeseen circumstances."

"Thank you, doctor," Joe said, and clasped his hand gratefully. He didn't realize how tense he'd been until that moment. "Can I see him now?"

"Of course," the doctor responded. "He's in post-op. I'm warning you, he's not awake now, and he'll be very groggy when he does wake up. But, he should be fine." With that, he went to turn away when Vanessa suddenly stopped him.

"Doctor!" she called. "Callie- was she shot, too?"

Joe raised a hand to his head. Callie- how could he have forgotten her?!

"No," the doctor said. "I assume you're talking about the girl Frank was brought in with?"

Vanessa nodded anxiously.

"No—she wasn't shot. Her doctor should be out in a few minutes. Should I send him to post- op where Frank is?" he inquired.

"Please," Joe said with a shaky breath. He had just realized this nightmare wasn't over. There were still so many unanswered questions. When Joe and Vanessa reached the recovery room, they went to Frank at once. True to the doctor's words, Frank's eyes were closed. He was also very pale, and had i.v.'s in his arm. Sensing Joe needed to be alone with his brother, Vanessa quietly excused herself and waited right outside, trying to get herself together.

Joe sat next to his brother and took his hand. He kept hearing the doctor's words. _In another half-hour, he would have bled to death- it was a very bad injury in terms of blood_ _loss. _Joe slowly let out a breath. _But he didn't die, and he's going to be fine, _he told himself over and over. As he looked at Frank's face, a million thoughts floated through his mind. _What happened? Who shot him? How did he get so far away? How… and why…_

After several minutes alone with Frank, Vanessa came in and lightly tapped him on the shoulder, saying Callie's doctor would see him now. She wanted to keep Frank company and let Joe hear the news, unable to bear the thought of anything happening to one of her best friends.

Joe gave Frank's hand a final squeeze, and went into the hallway, where he saw an elderly doctor with a kind look on his face. "Joe?" he asked, softly.

Joe nodded.

"I'm Dr. O'Connor, and this is Dr. Zelinski, an orthopedic surgeon who also worked on Callie."

Joe shook both their hands quickly, praying for some good news.

Dr. O'Connor went first. "Joe, Callie is extremely lucky that she had no internal injuries or bleeding. She has a minor concussion and a broken wrist, both of which need to be watched, but will heal in time. I am concerned about her concussion, however, especially since I was able to obtain her medical records from… Bayview? since I knew she was coming with your brother from the police."

"Bayport," Joe corrected.

"Since she's currently receiving radiation treatments for a small malignancy at the back portion of her brain, she really needs to be careful and to avoid any unnecessary stress or trauma, especially to that region. Unfortunately, the angle at which she hit her head was very close to that region, so we really have to monitor swelling and headaches of any kind. She _should _be fine, but she absolutely needs to rest for several days. That shouldn't be a problem, as Dr. Zelinski here will explain. Doctor?" he said, allowing the next doctor to speak.

_Poor Callie,_ Joe thought. _What more does she have to go through?_

The next doctor was more matter-of fact. "Mr. Hardy, Callie was a victim of a very bad fall."

"A fall? From where?" Joe asked, surprised. Frank shot- Callie fell. What the _hell_ had happened?

"The nature of her injuries suggests a stair-case of some kind, based also on the location of her many bruises. In any event, she suffered from several compression fractures of the lumbar region."

"What?" Joe asked. "The only word he recognized as "fracture."

The doctor gave a supportive smile at last. "A broken back."

"Oh my God," Joe sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Is she okay? Can she..." he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Is she… paralyzed?" he could barely speak the words.

"No," Dr. Zelinski replied. "although she very well could have been."

Joe exhaled in relief. "How bad is it?"

"It's bad- not horrendous, but bad," the doctor replied, honestly. "Normally a fall of this kind could cause what we call axial- burst fractures or, worse yet, fracture dislocation of the vertebrae. The good news is that Callie sustained the most treatable of the fractures. Compression fractures are when the anterior, or front, of the vertebra breaks and loses height, but the back part does not. Usually, this type of fracture is stable and is rarely associated with neurological problems. The bad news is she sustained several such fractures."

"Okay," Joe replied, feeling horrible. "Now what?"

"She didn't need surgery- we don't heal that type of fracture that way," the doctor said.

"Well, that's good, right?" Joe asked, hoping against hope Callie would be okay.

"It's not good or bad," Dr. Zelinski replied. "It just IS. She's going to be in a lot of pain, and other than pain medication, there's not much we can do for that. Fortunately, anti-inflammatory drugs along with strong pain-killers will help her. She's going to need to see a doctor regularly."

"She most certainly will," Joe added, knowing Callie saw doctors all too often anyway. "What will she have to do for this? Bed rest?" He could see tying to explain this catastrophe to Callie's parents as she was supposed to be heading for college in six weeks.

"Lots of rest," the doctor continued. "She'll need to wear what's called a hyperextension brace for sitting and standing activities for 6-12 weeks. She'll be able to walk and do activities, but obviously much less than she is used to doing. She'll be here in the hospital for three days. Two would normally be sufficient, but with the concussion, I'd like to play it safe. You can expect her to suffer from occasional muscle spasms that are quite painful, and her range of motion will be limited and rather painful for the first five to ten days. Her posture may be a little off as well for that amount of time."

"Okay," Joe said softly, unable to think of anything else. His mind was swimming with thoughts of Callie and Frank, what had happened to them, and what they still had to go through. That, on top if a case that wasn't even solved yet!

"When can I see her?" he asked.

"Right now," the doctor responded. "She's awake, but on very strong pain medication so she might not be coherent."

"Now? She's awake?!" Joe couldn't wait to see her, to make sure she looked okay, and try to comfort her. And maybe… maybe she could tell him what happened.

When Joe was led to Callie's room, he was shocked at the reaction he had to seeing her as he sat next to her. He felt tears come to his eyes that he wiped away, and he couldn't figure out why seeing Callie made him more upset than seeing Frank. Then he knew-Because she reminded him of Iola when he thought she had been killed because of him.

Callie had done nothing wrong, and yet she suffered because she was around him; around Frank. Danger was in their lives, but it shouldn't be in their girlfriends' lives. Despite the fact that he and Callie fought a lot, he was very fond of her, and had grown to really care about her. She was his brother's rock; his friend; Vanessa's best friend. He hated to see her in pain. He couldn't even imagine how Frank was going to take this.

"Callie?" he asked, trying to get her attention.

When she didn't respond, he tried again, and then realized that he should leave her alone. It was better not to force her to confront the realities of her injuries right now, anyway. _Let her have a little while of peace._ He took her hand and gave it a quick kiss. "Hang in there, kid," he said softly to her.

Outside the door, much to his surprise, Brian was standing there.

"Hey. What's up?" he asked warily as he began to walk back to Frank's room.

"Joe?" Brian said, stopping him. "I… I thought you might like to see the person who rescued your brother. He told us some VERY interesting information. Come on."

Joe followed Brain quickly to the lobby, where he saw the Chief, of all people, who was blocking the figure at an angle. When the Chief moved out of the way, the man turned around, and Joe gasped, audibly. _No way_.

He was staring at Dave Shaughnessey.


	27. Chapter 27

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 27

"Dave?" Joe gasped. "What are you doing here?" He could hardly believe his eyes. Joe turned to Brian, who nodded at him to indicate that Dave was, in fact, the person who had rescued Frank and Callie.

Dave walked slowly away from the Chief and approached Joe, as Brian guided Joe forward as well. Vaguely, Joe heard Brian say, "I'll leave you guys alone for a little while. Don't worry. I'll be here, and so will some others. We still need to talk about the case." With that, he walked away.

As soon as Dave came up to him, Joe was shocked at his appearance. He still had his incredible good looks, but he had blood on him, and he looked totally frazzled. Coming to his senses, Joe took Dave by the arm and led him to a small waiting area by Frank's room, which was empty at this time of night. He watched as Dave took a seat on the couch and buried his face in his hands. Joe sat next to him.

"Dave," he began, hesitantly. "What happened, man? How did you find Frank and Callie? Why are you here? What do you know?" Joe knew he was asking a million questions all at once, but he needed to find out a lot of crucial information, and the fact that Dave was involved was simply unbelievable.

Dave looked up, his deep blue eyes showing his exhaustion and concern. "How are they?" he asked.

Joe took a deep breath, unsure of even trusting Dave who had already been linked to Jenna at least once. "They're okay," he said at last. On second thought, he added, "Well, they _will_ be."

Dave nodded slowly and started twisting his watch on his wrist, a nervous habit he had picked up when he was a kid. He didn't know what to say, but finally he spoke. "Joe…it was so horrible. I… I mean, your brother. I thought he was dying, I really did. I've never seen so much blood in my life. And then Callie…God, she was still _awake_, although barely. I've never felt worse in my life. I couldn't stand to see her like that. Are you… are you sure she's okay?"

Joe was taken aback by the real concern Dave seemed to have about Frank, but especially about Callie. He really did look like he cared. Despite the fact that Joe still didn't know if he could trust him, he decided to answer back honestly.

"She's hurt. She has a broken wrist, a concussion, and a broken back. It's pretty serious," he said, directly.

"Oh, no," he whispered, and Joe couldn't believe it when he saw that Dave had tears in his eyes. "That's just awful."

"Yeah, it is," Joe conceded. Still, he knew had to get some answers. "Look, Dave. I appreciate what you've done…if it's true, I'll be indebted to you forever. But," he continued, deciding to be direct again, "I don't trust you at all. You already tried to set up Callie and Frank, and you know Jenna. Please—tell me what you know, how you found them. I need to know what went on. Vanessa and I discovered some very disturbing news about Jenna, and—did she have anything to do with this?!"

Dave looked at Joe, surprised. He said, "I'll tell you everything I know, but you have to believe me. Once, and only once, before tonight, did I see that girl. I assume Frank told you about that," he added, embarrassed. "But the truth was I _did _like Callie, and I…I _do_… and I had no idea that just kissing her would cause her, or your brother, any problems. If you want to know the truth, I would have done it anyway, and I was really planning on trying to convince her to go out with me. You might not want to hear that, since she's with your brother, but that's the truth, which is what you asked for."

Joe studied Dave as he spoke and somehow, against all logic and reason, he found himself actually believing him. He didn't like what Dave was saying, but he did find him to be truthful. He decided to press the issue.

"Dave," he began, meeting his eyes. "Let's say I DO believe you. How did you find them? What did you see? Please—it's very important that I know."

Dave shuddered as the memories came back to him, and he quickly ran a hand back through his dark hair. _Much like Frank would have done_, Joe couldn't help but to think.

"Okay," he began shakily. "This is going to sound unbelievable, but I was in my dorm room, since I'm taking summer classes, and I couldn't stop thinking about Callie. The last time I saw her she looked so upset about everything- I thought your brother was going to kill me."

Joe listened, and said "go on," waiting for Dave to make his point.

"Anyway, I decided that I wanted to see her again to apologize. I'm not a bad person, Joe. I just needed the money, and I didn't know anything else. I decided that maybe I would see that Jenna girl, again, though, before I saw Callie. I wanted to… well, to give her the money back. I didn't want to try and win Callie on false pretenses. It certainly wasn't hard to find out where she worked—I just checked with some friends from a shoot I did."

"A shoot?" Joe cut in. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh—I model," he said sheepishly. "I guess Frank might have left that out."

_I guess so_, Joe mentally responded. Out loud, he said, "Dave, this is all well and good, but I need to know what you saw. Please- get to the point."

"Sorry," Dave apologized. "I'm still shaken up, I guess, from everything." He gave Joe a small smile. "The short version is that as I went to see her, I noticed that she had bumped into your brother and Callie by the museum. They headed to the back, which I thought was strange, but I decided to follow them, just to see if I could talk to her alone. And then…" he closed his eyes as the memory came back, "I… just remember that Jenna looked like she was holding out a gun or something, because although I couldn't see it from my angle, your brother had his hands up. I saw him throw his cell phone into the lake."

Joe was transfixed. _Well, that would explain why I couldn't get through_, he thought silently. He couldn't believe Jenna held a gun on his brother.

Dave continued speaking. "I was scared, man. I'm ashamed to say it, but I was. I ran in the other direction and hopped back on my bike- my motorcycle- it's easy to get around DC that way. But I couldn't do it—I just couldn't leave them. I drove around to the other side, being careful not to get noticed, when I saw a van screech away, which I presumed was them. I followed the van- way out- to this old storage facility. I didn't know what to do, so I waited outside and called the police on my cell phone. Finally, I saw Jenna and a few guys dressed all in black leave the area, and since I figured the police were on their way over anyhow, I decided to check it out. They hadn't locked the doors- I guess they thought that they had completed their mission. And then… well, you know the rest..." his voice trailed off.

"So…" Joe cut in, incredulously. "You went down to try and help them. How did Callie get hurt?"

"I don't know. She probably fell down the staircase- it was huge, very deep, marble. She was lying at the bottom of it." Dave wiped back tears. "It was just horrible. I've never seen anyone hurt that badly, and both Frank and Callie were drifting in and out of consciousness. I tried to help stop Frank's bleeding as best I could by using my jacket as a pressure, but for Callie… all I could do was hold her hand. Joe, I'm truly sorry," he finished, leaning back in the couch.

Joe swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew that when he spoke to Frank, he'd be able to fill him in on the details. Still, Dave had saved both Frank and Callie's lives.

"Thank you," he choked out, and shook Dave's hand. "Thank you so much."

Dave weakly smiled. "I'm going back to the station tonight, and then back to the dorm. But I'll be here in the next few days. I'd like to see your brother, and Callie, really- to see how they are, if that's okay. I'm glad I could help. That Jenna girl's psychotic!" he added.

Joe smiled softly. "I know," he replied. "Look, I've got to talk to some people myself. I'll see you soon, then."

"Okay," Dave responded, and Joe left him.

Joe walked slowly back to Frank's room, his mind whirling. Jenna had shot Frank? How had Callie fallen? He didn't even want to think of what would have happened if Dave hadn't followed his brother.

When he entered the room, he leaned down and kissed Vanessa. He pulled up a chair next to her and put his arm around her shoulders. He spent the next ten minutes or so getting her up to date on what happened. Joe watched her eyes grow wide in horror as she listened to his description of Callie's injuries, Dave's involvement, and what had happened to Jenna.

"Oh," she said weakly, covering her mouth with her hand.

"I know," he said gently back to her. "Believe me, I couldn't believe it, either."

After a few minutes, he suggested that Vanessa go back to the hotel to get some sleep. Although she was reluctant to go, she eventually gave in. Joe was glad, knowing that he'd need her brainpower and emotional support a lot in the upcoming few days.

Left alone with his brother, Joe watched him sleeping soundly, and wondered what on earth he had gone through. He still had no idea how to tell him about Callie's injuries, or the fact that the guy who _liked_ Callie and who Frank thought was the enemy was actually the one to save his life. Then, he thought about the case. What would be hit first? Which Mint? What landmark? HOW would they be targeted?

Over the next several hours, well into the next morning, Joe continued to contemplate everything while going back between Frank and Callie's rooms, speaking with the police, and calling the Shaw's, which was one of the hardest things he had to do. He insisted that they stay in Bayport and that he'd have Callie call them when she woke up. He could tell they were out of their minds with worry, but he had to admit they stayed in control. He guessed they were used to unexpected surprises, since Callie and Frank had been together so long. He promised to call them regularly.

At close to 6:00 a.m., Joe settled into his seat beside Frank's bed, and looked enviously at his brother, who was still sleeping soundly. Deciding to follow his example, Joe closed his eyes and was about to doze off when the phone rang. Grabbing his cell phone, he stuttered,

"H…hello?"

"Joe, it's Vanessa."

"It's early," he slurred, trying to get his bearings.

"Joe, hush!" Vanessa reprimanded him. "Listen. I was doing a little research on the computer, since I was so worried I couldn't sleep. Check this out- on top of the Capitol building, there's a bronze statue called _The Statue of Freedom_ that was built by slave laborers. Freedom again!!! We're on the right track."

Joe was awake by now. "Thanks, Van," he said, considering her words. "I'll call you later. Now go to sleep!"

"Love you!" she said happily.

"Love you, too," he responded with a yawn.

Then, it hit him, as everything fell into place. Thornton and Pogle were behind all of this, and Jenna must be helping or involved in somehow. That's probably how Frank and Callie got in trouble! Joe sat up excitedly. _Okay,_ he added to himself, quickly. _This whole thing has been a pursuit of not only capital, but freedom, a warped sense of justice. They're all about codes, hidden messages. Which meant…_

Joe sat up with a gasp.

_That means that the Washington Monument, the center of Trivial Pursuit, wasn't just important because it pointed to the Capital. It begins with a "W"- so…_

"The next Mint hit will be West Point!" Joe exclaimed out loud as the realization dawned on him. "And… and… the next target will be the Supreme Court, because that's where Frank and Callie were found! At least, in their records department." Joe tried to calm down, but he knew he was onto something. He started pacing around the room.

_So Jenna and her… helpers… they must have thought they killed Frank and Callie. But still… if Jenna was that close to her dad, then he must have known…and maybe he suggested that place for a reason. Yes! That was it!_

"All these games!" he said out loud, and got ready to call the police right away.

"J…Joe?" he heard a low voice, and realized that Frank was struggling to wake up. At the same time he was about to speak to his brother, Brian burst into the room.

"Joe!!! You're not going to believe this!" he shouted.

Joe turned to him in surprise, and Frank tried to focus on what was going on, even though he honestly had no idea.

"What, Bri?"

"There's been a short series of small bombs that have gone off in front of the Supreme Court! Some lunatic is demanding that the Justices of the Supreme Court sign some sort of ordinance dealing with death row, or he'll blow up the building!"

"What?" Joe cried.

"That's not all!" Brian went on. "The President had been taken to some sort of high security area and everyone's panicking. PLUS, somehow, a lot of the computer networks in DC are going haywire. Normally, they'd crash, but we have so many backups. Joe! Something serious is happening!!"

"There's something else, though," he added more seriously.

"What?" Joe asked.

Brian pulled out his gun and leveled it at Joe. "We have a little trip to make," he said directly.

Joe's mouth dropped in disbelief.


	28. Chapter 28

_I am sooooo sorry for the delay in posting. I've had a lot going on. There are only two more chapters to go. I sincerely thank you for all of the lovely feedback- it is much appreciated!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 28

Joe followed Brian outside and got into his patrol car as he was directed to do. Since his father had originally been a police officer for the NYPD, Joe was fully aware that once the back doors of the patrol car were locked, there would be no way for him to escape. He thought about making a run for it, or crying for help, since the hospital was crawling with cops. But, the gun pointing into his back as Brian had followed right behind him was enough to change his mind.

As the car sped off, Joe tried to make sense of it all. He kept staring at Brian through the front mirror. None of this made sense. Brian had acted like his friend. He had informed him of the robberies, and had been there when Frank was hurt. He had helped to get information from Dave, and had even told him about the cases involving embezzlement when they had all been in his hotel room. Was Brian really close to Jenna? Were they dating? How had he become a cop—that part was especially confusing. Then, Joe gasped. Maybe… maybe Brian was Jenna's brother! Hadn't Green told him that Thornton might have had more than one child? He hadn't even bothered to get Brian's last name! He groaned out loud as he realized what he had missed the entire time.

Finally, the car slowed in front of a relatively isolated park. Since it was not yet 7:00 a.m., few people were out. Brian stopped the car and came around to the back, opening the door. Joe slowly got out, trying to seize the opportunity to make a run for it. He noticed that Brian didn't have the gun trained on him, but did have one hand in his pocket.

"Have a seat," Brian said to Joe, indicating the park bench.

Joe walked hesitantly to it, and did as he was told. "Brian, before you kill me, I'd like to get some answers," he said directly, meeting Brian's eyes.

"What?!" Brain asked, confused. "Joe, man, I'm not going to kill you!" He sat next to him on the bench.

Joe froze, unsure of what to do. "What do you mean?" he asked at last.

Brian looked at him and smiled. "Want some coffee? I can get it in the car."

"Coffee?!" Joe asked, outraged. "What the hell are you trying to do?! You pull a gun on me, and then tell me to have a seat and offer me coffee?! Are you out of your mind?!" Joe stood and backed up, not sure of whether to run or to try and get answers. He decided to see how Brian would react and tell him what he knew. "Brian Thornton. Very interesting," he said, meeting Brian's eyes.

"What?" Brian asked. "Joe, calm down. I'm sorry I had to pull a gun on you, but I'll explain why in a minute. I'm your friend, remember? Who's Brian Thornton?!"

Joe stared at him, confused. Brian legitimately looked perplexed. "You are," Joe responded, calling his bluff.

"I am not," Brian retorted. "Is this why you're so mad? Because I didn't tell you my last name? It's Radcliffe."

Joe's mouth dropped open, and he had to pause a moment before he spoke again. "Brian," he said, still standing, "I'm mad because you pulled a gun on me! My brother and his girlfriend are in the hospital, the Supreme Court building is being bombed, the West Point Mint is being vandalized, and the President is in an undisclosed location. So, yeah- I'm not a happy camper right now!"

Brian stood up next to Joe, who instinctively took a step back. "Joe," he said, evenly, "You're a nice kid. Sometimes I forget that you're only, like, 18. You're very smart, and you've helped a lot with this investigation. I'm on your side."

"Then why the gun?" Joe asked, beginning to relax a bit.

"Because obviously you're being watched. So was your brother, and look what happened to him. I needed whoever was watching you to think that I was somehow on their side. I've been working undercover on this case as well. I really am a cop, but I'm in the investigations unit. I'm also 30, not in my mid-twenties like I told you. With the help of you and your brother, we've been working on the case feverishly, since it involves national security. Like you, we figured out the West Point hit, and we worked to change all the codes. We can now trace back through systems break-ins to locate the source of the embezzlement. Within hours, we should trace back Thornton and Pogle."

Joe started in disbelief, trying to process the information. "So then the Mint's safe?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. I mean, there are losses, but most of it- 95%- is in computer transfers and information, which is reversible, although it's a royal pain and will take time. It's also a major breech of security. Only about 5% of what was stolen we can't recover, until we apprehend the people responsible. We're working on restoring the records of the Philadelphia Mint now," Brian finished.

"Okay," Joe replied. "But… what about the Supreme Court bombings? Is that true?" he asked.

"Is it TRUE?" Brian repeated. "Joe, everything else is true. I really did date Jenna Barkalow, and it really was by accident. When you told me what you and Frank had come up with, we got right on it. It's amazing that she was related to Thornton. Oh…" Brain stopped. "THAT's why you thought I was her... what? Brother?"

"Yeah," Joe responded.

"Oh," Brian went on with a small laugh. "No, that's not true. It'd make dating her even more complicated."

Joe had to laugh. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Anyway, what I told you is happening. One of the men, Thornton or Pogle, I believe, is on the steps of the building, demanding that the Justices sign the pardon for the six men on death row from the previous case. We think it's Pogle—he had no real family to speak of. And….other things, as you know, I think. As far as Jenna goes, she's been working the inside angle leaking information to her father about what the FBI and police officers have been doing. She's also working with others who have their eyes on the city—spies, if you will. Many are relatives of the accused men, from what we've found. They've been watching you and Frank because you came too close to knowing everything. They might not think I'm on their side, but at least they'll think that for whatever reason, you're out of the picture. AND," he added, "I'm surprised they messed up and didn't kill Frank and Callie."

"But why?" Joe questioned. "It's a suicide mission for Pogle. Why would he steal all that money- millions and millions- and then die? To save his friends? It doesn't make sense."

Brian looked at him for a moment. "You don't know?" he asked.

"Know what?" Joe replied.

Brian met his eyes. "Pogle is terminally ill. He only has months to live. A few months don't matter to him. We presume that he's funneled the money to hidden accounts for Thornton and the others. And that's why…"

"That's why he's so dangerous," Joe interrupted. "Because he's going to die anyway." He looked at Brian seriously. "I think we need to head down to the Supreme Court," he said, determined.

"I agree," Brian replied.

The two headed away, hoping to do something to help stop a national tragedy from occurring.

*****

Frank, meanwhile, finally woke up. _Was I dreaming?_ He asked himself groggily. _Wasn't Joe here a little while ago? Where am I?_ He opened his eyes and found himself looking at Vanessa.

"Van?" he croaked, weakly.

"Hey," she replied, slowly. She had just arrived at the hospital about half an hour ago, and was surprised that she didn't see Joe anywhere. Thinking he may have left to pursue a lead, Vanessa had floated between Frank and Callie's room. As she found herself watching Frank wake up, she prayed that Joe would return, fast. How could she tell Frank about Callie?! How could she let him know what was going on in DC right now, and what a dangerous place it was to be? Still, wish as she might, Joe wasn't there. She had turned on the television very softly and was watching the news as she kept Frank company. Now, though, she had to focus on him.

"Where am I?" Frank asked softly, blinking his eyes rapidly to get adjusted to the light. He went to move and a fierce pain ripped through his shoulder, causing him to grimace out loud.

"Frank," Vanessa said, taking his hand, "Take it easy. You're in the hospital. You were shot, and you hurt your shoulder and collar -bone. But you'll be okay. Try not to move."

Frank gasped, and pushed himself up despite himself, ignoring the pain. "Callie," he managed, squeezing Vanessa's hand.

"She's… okay," Vanessa said slowly, and she felt terrible when she saw the total relief on Frank's face, and actually heard him start breathing again.

"Thank God," he said, weakly, and leaned back again, trying to gather strength. The I.V. in one arm prevented him from being too mobile, along with his shoulder injury.

Vanessa nodded, and Frank began speaking. "Van, I… Jenna, she shot me, and Callie…"

His eyes darkened in pain as the image of Callie falling came to him. He knew he had to tell Vanessa what happened, but he needed to see Callie, to make sure she was okay.

Before he could speak, Vanessa cut him off. "I know, Frank. There's a lot you need to hear, though, so promise to listen. Can you focus?" She swallowed hard, almost praying that he'd say he couldn't. However, when he responded with a soft "yes," Vanessa knew she had to tell him the truth.

"Okay, then" she said, and, holding back tears, she told him everything. She told him about the connection between Jenna and Thornton, and how the Supreme Court was under attack. She told him about the embezzlement of the Mints, and about Dave Shaughnessey. She ignored his shocked expression at that, and then told him the hardest thing of all; how Callie had been injured, but that she'd be okay. She watched as his pale face became even whiter, and saw his eyes burning with unshed tears.

"What happened to you guys, Frank?" she asked at last.

He didn't answer. Frank's felt like he couldn't breathe. He had heard everything and he knew about the danger and the case. He heard about Dave, and he was in shock. He needed to know where Joe was, too. But the only thing he REALLY heard was Callie's injuries. _Oh, God. It's my fault,_ he kept repeating to himself. "Where's Joe?" he whispered, his voice barely discernable.

Vanessa felt her heart break as she saw the anguish on his face. "I… I don't know. He'll be here soon. It'll be okay," she said, trying to be reassuring.

"I need to see her," he said to Vanessa.

"Oh," she said. Then, understanding what he meant, she jumped back a bit. "Oh, no. Frank, I can't do that! You just woke up. You're hurting; you're weak. I can't help you."

With a look of pain across his face, Frank shakily threw back the covers with his good arm. "Fine," he said shakily. "I'll do it myself, then. What's her room number?"

Vanessa panicked. Frank looked awful. She knew he'd be okay, but the medicine for pain was very strong, and he'd just woken up. Still, she knew that Frank could be as stubborn as his brother, something very few people ever saw since he was normally so kind and generous and he'd always do for others. Not this time, though. Vanessa sighed. If she didn't help him, he really would go by himself and probably end up killing himself in the process.

"Fine," she said evenly, and grabbed the wheelchair at the side of the room. She helped Frank into it, grabbing the portable I.V. stand next to him, and being careful not to pull out any needles. She tried to ignore the look of pain on his face, and she hated seeing him like this. Frank Hardy was strong and healthy, and seeing him in any discomfort and so shaky was really throwing her.

Vanessa noticed that Frank was unusually silent as she wheeled him to the elevator and up to Callie's room. _He never did tell me what happened with Jenna_, she realized as she walked. _I wonder if that was an accident._ Finally, she reached Callie's room and Frank insisted that he could take it from there. She watched as he stood and almost fell, one arm close to his chest in a sling, and the other holding onto the stand. Still, as wobbly and pale as he was, he wanted to go in alone, and Vanessa couldn't blame him. She walked to the nurse's station and continued to watch coverage of the events unfolding before them at the Supreme Court…

Frank made it into Callie's room and sat by the chair beside her bed. Obviously, someone had set it up. Was it Joe? Vanessa? He looked down at his girlfriend and started to cry silently, unable to stay strong any longer. Callie didn't look too bad; she was pale, and had a cast around her wrist and a few bruises by her neck and arm, but he knew she was badly hurt, and it was his fault. _Why did I fall for Jenna? Why couldn't I help her when she was hurt? I can't be with her any more…_the last thought hurt him the most, because it encompassed all the rest. Callie, his best friend and true love, was hurt, here, because of him, and he would rather let her go than to have her get remotely hurt in any way ever again. And, in his line of work, that was always a very real possibility. It had happened before; it would happen again. _As much as I love her, need her, I don't deserve her_. He wiped away the tears and closed his eyes, holding her hand. Somehow, just touching her gave him strength.

"Hi," he heard a soft voice say.

Surprised, he opened his eyes and saw Callie looking at him…and smiling. He couldn't believe it, and was glad he had composed himself before she had awakened.

"Hey, baby," he said gently to her, squeezing her hand. It was all he could manage, the lump in his throat restricting further commentary.

"I told you we'd be okay," she said. Using all her strength, she gently rubbed his hand.

Frank felt tears again in his eyes, amazed at her strength and poise. He willed himself not to cry. He wanted so badly to hold her, but he physically couldn't, and she physically couldn't move much, either. It was a strange feeling being so close and yet distant at the same time. _There's a wall between us_, he couldn't help but to think, and was struck at how the barrier was not just physical, but emotional as well.

Callie looked at her boyfriend, who was struggling to stay controlled. She saw that; she knew most others would not. She couldn't move, and that bothered her. The pain wasn't bad at all, but she knew that was because she was on God knew how many pain medications, which would also explain her light-headedness and trouble focusing. What she did know was that her head was throbbing, and she longed to go back to sleep. As she felt herself drifting off, she forced herself to remain awake for a few more moments at least, grateful that Frank was there and that he was okay. She imagined that her words were slightly slurred, but that was okay. She was alive.

"Frank?" she murmured.

Frank had to lean in to hear her and he clung to her hand.

"Yeah, baby?" he whispered.

"Everything's gonna be okay," she said, her focus getting worse. She had to close her eyes, and tears slipped from Frank's.

He leaned over weakly, standing up, and softly kissed her lips. "I'm sorry," he choked out.

Callie, eyes still closed, barely heard him. "Love you," she mumbled, barely moving her lips, before slipping into darkness.

_I love you, too_, he mentally replied, sitting down again and taking in ragged breaths, trying to stop himself from crying. Finally, he did, weakened and drained.

Vanessa came quietly into the room, and pulled up another chair beside Frank. He really looked bad now, and she questioned whether she should have even brought him here.

"Did you talk to Callie?" she asked him.

He nodded, silent.

Vanessa bit her lip. "That's good," she replied. "How's she feeling?"

Frank shrugged with his one good shoulder, unable to speak.

"How about we watch some television?" Vanessa finally asked. She needed a break from this oppressive sadness. "We can see what's going on at The Supreme Court." She didn't wait for Frank to respond.

What she saw made her cry out, and Frank looked up at once. There, right in front of her, was the suicide bomber with guns trained on him from all angles, and, right behind him, was Joe Hardy.


	29. Chapter 29

_Only one more chapter to go after this..._

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 29

Joe stared intently at the man in front of him, who was covered with several sticks of dynamite. The man, Pogle, had one hand on a trigger button, and the other on a piece of paper. He was demanding that the Justices of the Supreme Court sign a release order for his fellow co-conspirators on death row. He was serious, too. The area around the Supreme Court was a mess; though not completely decimated, it was certainly destroyed in several places by the series of small bombs that had recently gone off.

As Joe looked around him, he tried to remain inconspicuous. He couldn't help but to wonder that if the Justices actually signed the ordinance, if it would even hold up in any court. _Talk about a situation where something was signed under duress_, he thought silently. And then, it hit him. Pogle was trying to get the ordinance signed, but he would have to want more. And just as he thought that, he heard Pogle demand that the Justices order that, right now, the prisoners in question be released as he spoke. Joe glanced sidelong at Brian, and saw him slink silently away with a small nod. Somehow, they had to figure out how to stop this guy. _But how do you stop a suicide bomber?_ he couldn't help but to ask himself. _Threaten him with death? _Joe shuddered. This whole situation seemed impossible. That, and the fact that there were many, many guns trained on Pogle at the moment and Joe happened to be right in the line of fire, was very disconcerting. Joe knew if Pogle was fired upon, he'd explode the whole building. He had no idea what to do at the moment.

After a few moments, he saw Brian discreetly give him a small hand motion to come back in his direction. With the area heavily guarded, Joe was able to sneak back to Brian virtually un-noticed. When they were off to the side, Brian turned to him.

"Joe," he said quietly, "we're running out of time. Pogle's just demanded that his cohorts be released within one hour, or he'll blow everything up!

Joe glanced nervously back to where Pogle was standing. "Well, what should we do?" he asked Brian with hesitation. He couldn't help but to wish desperately that Frank were there to help him out. If anyone could come up with a plan under circumstances like these, Frank could.

"I don't know," Brian finally responded. "I mean, let's say that somehow, we could sneak up on him. There's still the possibility that the explosives could go off. I mean, we have sharpshooters trying to get him, but he knows the game. That's why he's moving around so much." Brian paused before continuing. "And then, even if we do somehow manage to get Pogle, Thornton is still out there."

With that, Joe's eyes suddenly lit up as an idea began to form. "Bri?" he asked, turning to his friend. "Maybe that's IT! Maybe, if we can get Thornton, and somehow threaten him, we can get Pogle to give up. After all, all the money's for him, and all the freedom is for the other men whom Thorton would have to lead. I just wonder where he is…" Joe's voice trailed off as he realized that he had better think of something soon. They really were running out of time, and the local and national authorities seemed completely at a loss.

"I have no idea where he'd be," Brian replied absently, also struck at the gravity of the situation. "Too bad Jenna never told me about…" Suddenly, Brian turned to Joe.

Joe saw it at once as the same thought struck him. "Jenna!" Joe exclaimed. "She's even more valuable than her father, because if we get her, then we get her father, and then we'd almost certainly get Pogle! It gives us a little more room to play with!" Joe found himself getting excited. Brian was great to work with. It was strange connecting with anyone other than his brother, but it was working… and they might just have a plan.

"Well, where would SHE be?" Brian asked, breathless. He tried furiously to think of his brief relationship with Jenna, hoping to gain some insight into her whereabouts.

Joe noted that ten minutes had passed, and found himself getting more anxious than ever to stop this tragedy. Plus, he couldn't wait to get Jenna. She had hurt his brother and Callie. This was personal to him now, and he was determined to do something. Thinking over all the vague things he knew about Jenna, and realizing that she was probably surrounded with at least a few relatives of the men on death row, he began to grow more frustrated. He knew very little about Jenna. Brian seemed to be at a loss. Vanessa couldn't help; Callie was out of commission. Well, maybe…

"What about Frank?" Joe asked, turning to Brian. "Maybe he's awake now. If he remembers something, maybe he can help us. What do you think?"

"Seems worth a try," Brian replied.

Taking out his cell phone, Joe called his brother's room and was surprised when Frank immediately answered.

"Hel…" Joe began, but was cut off at one.

"Joe!" Frank said forcefully into the phone. "Where are you?! Vanessa and I were just watching the news and we saw you. Don't even tell me that you're at the Supreme Court. What's going on? What's…"

"Calm down," Joe replied into the receiver. He was grateful that Frank was awake, although he could hear Frank's weakness through the tremble in his voice. "Okay, here's what's going on," Joe began, and proceeded to quickly get Frank up to date. He finished with, "so, can you remember anything? Anything at all? We need to find Jenna- pronto."

The silence at the end of the line confirmed Joe's fears that his brother really couldn't be of any help. As he was about to hang up, Frank finally spoke.

"Joe?" he said, quietly.

"Yeah?" he replied, anxious to get to work and to hang up.

"Dave."

"What?" Joe asked.

"Dave," Frank continued, softly. "He was the last one to see Jenna, right? Maybe he heard something, or knows the direction she headed to. It seems worth taking a shot."

Joe held the phone away from him for a moment and glanced at it incredulously. Dave! Why hadn't HE thought of that? Getting back on the phone, he quickly asked for Vanessa, who was able to return after a few minutes after retrieving Dave's phone number from Callie's purse. Thanking her quickly, he hung up and immediately dialed Dave. _Be there, be there_ he prayed silently to himself. He felt the beads of sweat begin to form on his forehead as he watched the seconds and minutes tick by. He noticed that Brian, watching him, seemed just as concerned.

Finally, Dave picked up. "Hello?"

"Dave, it's me. Joe Hardy," Joe responded quickly. He explained what was happening to Dave, and asked him if he remembered anything or could provide any insight into what was going on.

"Um, no," Dave said at last. "I mean, I watched her go away, but I didn't really notice anything unusual. I was sort of in a hurry to get to Frank and Callie."

Joe sighed, as he felt the last of his hopes vanish.

"Well, except… oh, I don't know. It's probably nothing…" Dave replied, cutting himself off.

"No, please," Joe responded. "Dave, ANYTHING at all that you remember would be a help. Think--- we can't rule anything out."

"Well," he began slowly. "It's just when she was leaving, she said something like "it's done now," which I guess meant her attack on Frank and Callie. Then she said something along the lines of "let's go and watch it all come to pass. We're always watching…" Then she left and hopped into the van. Does that help?" Dave asked, but Joe had already hung up.

He felt his heart beating wildly. Did it help?! Of course it helped! Again, everything fell into place. The center of TRIVIAL PURSUIT, the ever present blinking eyes… Jenna was at The Washington Monument, or at least by it! Grabbing Brian by the arm, he immediately told him his suspicions. Together, they ran as fast as they could to the nearest police car possible, and sped off in the direction of the Washington Monument, along with a handful of other officers and cars. With so much security focused on the Supreme Court and the White House, a few cars missing would not be a problem.

When they arrived at the area outside of the Monument, Joe breathed a huge sigh of relief when he caught sight of the dark van in the distance. Almost at once, the accompanying officers rushed up to it and, after a brief scuffle, were able to apprehend about three men, dressed in black clothing. Realizing that he was running out of time, Joe rushed up to one of them who was being handcuffed.

"Where's Jenna?" he shouted wildly, hoping to get an answer right away.

The young man smiled in return, and said, simply, "Drop dead," before being carried away.

Panicking, Joe looked at his watch. He had less than a half an hour before Pogle's threat to blow himself and the Supreme Court to kingdom come would be realized.

In vain, he attempted to extract information from the other men, but they were equally mum on the subject. In defeat, Joe turned to Brian, shoulders shrugged. Brian then informed him that the six prisoners on death row were now awaiting release via Presidential pardon or Supreme Court order. The President, refusing to deal or to bargain with terrorists of any kind, was still not giving in, and the Justices of the Supreme Court were being held in secret quarters. In the meantime, Pogle still remained—watching, waiting. Joe couldn't help but to be amazed at the amount of information that the press was able to obtain as events unfolded, and hoped that they didn't reveal any plans to stop Pogle, accidentally or otherwise.

As Joe and Brian noted the time, and as the police and FBI spread themselves quickly and quietly around the area, Joe forced himself to remain calm. _Think, Joe, Think_ he told himself, over and over. Jenna couldn't have gotten far—not only was the van parked there, but virtually all public transportation, including the Metro, was shut down. Leaning against the van to clear his thoughts, Joe held out a hand, and stood up straight at once.

"Guys!" he shouted to the officials, some of whom came rushing over.

"What is it?" Chief Pierce asked.

"The engine's still hot! She's got to be around here, somewhere!"

Joe made a guess that since Jenna probably couldn't go towards the Capitol building, she'd have to head in the opposite direction. Quickly informing Brian of his idea, he sprinted off in the opposite direction, hoping for some sign of her. After running full sped for nearly five minutes, Joe stopped for a moment to catch his breath by some bushes. In the distance, he could see press vans coming to and fro. It seemed like the media were everywhere. _Well, why wouldn't they be?_ he questioned. _I mean, stories don't get much bigger than this._

All of a sudden, behind him, he heard the trigger of a gun. He then heard a voice. "Don't move."

Joe recognized the voice immediately, and cursed himself for not taking weapons with him in case this very situation would occur.

"Turn around…slowly… and put your hands over your head."

Joe, having no choice, did as he was told, and found himself looking into the eyes of Jenna Barkalow… Thornton. As he faced her, he realized that he felt no fear. In its place, he felt anger, resentment, and revenge. What this girl had done to Frank and Callie was unthinkable, and Joe felt the color rise to his face as he was almost blinded with fury. Still, he managed to hold back his quick temper and try to control himself. After all, Jenna, at this point, was more valuable dead than alive. _What am I thinking? SHE's the one who has a gun pulled on ME_, he thought, as reality hit him. Still, he stared at her, knowing that if was going to die, it would be with a fight.

"Well, well. If it isn't Joe Hardy, Boy Wonder," she said evenly to him. "It's too bad that you weren't finished off with your handsome brother and his little girlfriend."

_She doesn't know, _Joe realized at once. _She thinks Frank and Callie are dead._

He weighed his options. He could go along with this, or he could try and surprise her with a sneak attack. But, as she leveled the gun at his head, he realized his options were limited. How could he get Jenna to the Supreme Court if she killed him?!

"Bye bye, Joey," she said with a dry smirk. "Be careful who you mess with next time."

She cocked the trigger.

"Wait!" Joe cried out. "Look out behind you!"

"Yeah, right," she said with a small laugh. "You don't expect me to fall for the oldest trick in the book, do you?! Come, now. I would have thought more highly of you." With that, she raised her hands again and was about to fire when she was pushed forward violently. The gun flew out of her hands and fired, going off harmlessly into the distance.

"What the…?!" She gasped, fighting for air.

She didn't have a chance to say much more. Brian grabbed her arms and handcuffed her quickly, holding her to the ground. Shakily, he looked up at Joe. "Joe, dude, you almost blew my cover! You scared me half to death!"

With a small smile, Joe replied to Brian, "Well, it worked, huh?"

Brian rolled his eyes, and then pulled Jenna violently to her feet. She cried out in pain as she was yanked up, and found herself facing both Joe and Brian, behind her.

"You messed with the wrong person," Joe said to her, trying to control the anger in his voice.

"Your brother's dead!" she exclaimed, eyes flashing. "I won."

"Oh, no he's not," Joe responded. "He's very much alive, and so is Callie, no thanks to you. They'll be in more than great shape to see that you're put away for a long time."

He watched as Jenna's face paled. Joe would have liked to hurt her- badly- but he knew he didn't have time to waste. More than that, he didn't have the energy. Frank and Callie had already been hurt- nothing could undo that. Right now, he had more pressing issues at hand.

But… Brian beat him to the punch. "Hey, Jenna?" Brian asked, as she whirled around to face him. "I think we have a visit to make. You know, I've always wanted to meet your father. I think now's as good a time as any, don't you?" With that, he wheeled Jenna around and led her off, ignoring her dumbfounded expression.

Joe took a moment to smile before heading off to follow Brian…


	30. Chapter 30

_First of all, I wanted to apologize for the delay in posting the conclusion to this story. For those of you who have so patiently been waiting, I hope it meets your expectations! As I mentioned, this story concluded my little four part series of "Make a Wish," "Classified Secrets," "Where Troubles Melt," and now "Capital Pursuits." It was years later that I wrote my latest story (interestingly the first one I posted here on called "Fire and Ice"). I do have other little stories here and there, but those are the five big ones. For those of you who have read them all, thanks for bearing with my early writing style as the stories developed. Writing has always been a lot of fun, and it's been a pleasure to have posted here. I don't think I'll be writing again anytime soon, but you never know, right? I know that this story didn't get a lot of feedback (maybe 3-4 people actually consistently posted), but I sincerely thank those of you who did take the time to write a line or two. Your time in leaving the feedback was much appreciated. Thanks so much—enjoy!_

Capital Pursuits

Chapter 30—The Conclusion

"Are you sure you don't want to come?"

Joe Hardy looked at his friend Brian, who was all dressed up in a suit and a tie. He looked a far cry from the same person who had wrestled Jenna Barkalow to the ground just a few days earlier. Once Jenna had been apprehended, she had been used as bait to lure her father into the open. Seeing that Thorton was caught had temporarily distracted Pogle, allowing him to meet his final demise at the hands of a sniper. Thanks to the Hardys and Brian, the nation's capital remained in tact. Today, Brian, as well as several officers who were instrumental in stopping Thornton and Pogle, were being honored in a service at the White House.

"Nah," Joe replied with a smile. "I know that the President wanted to thank us, but it can't be good for detectives to get national exposure! Besides, I'm sure my father would love to hear the name "Hardy" on national television," he concluded with an eye roll.

"Well, at least you got to meet him in private," Brian said happily. "That must have been pretty cool."

Joe smiled. "Yeah, it was." Just two days ago, the President had personally invited both Joe and Frank, as well as Vanessa and Callie, to the White House to thank them for their help with the investigation. Callie was still in the hospital, and Frank was still weak, so Joe and Vanessa had gone. It really HAD been a thrill.

"How long will you be staying in D.C.?" Brian asked Joe, glancing at his watch. He didn't want to be late.

"I'm not sure," Joe responded at last. "We were supposed to have been gone a while ago. But, you know, with Callie and Frank hurt, it's probably a better idea to stay here for at least a week more. I don't know that Frank could fully make the ride back yet and be comfortable. I KNOW Callie couldn't. Her parents are coming up here today," he finished sadly, thinking of her.

"Is she still in the hospital?!" Brian inquired.

"Yeah," Joe answered. "She could have been released, but she really wasn't feeling well at all. It's better for her to rest and be around doctors, anyway. Besides, why not? The government is treating us pretty well. They're paying for the hotel and all amenities as long as we stay, and all Frank and Callie's medical bills are being covered. I feel better with her being taken care of…"

Brian gave him an encouraging nod. "I know. She seems like a nice girl."

"She is," Joe replied.

"How did your brother handle everything?"

Joe sighed. This was probably not the best topic of conversation. "I don't know," he answered, truthfully. "He's barely seen Callie. He was in the hospital a few days himself, and it seems like whenever he visited her, she was sleeping. Don't get me wrong—he's always there, but I don't know that they've actually… talked, you know? I'm still not totally clear about what went on with Jenna. Frank seems really upset about it, though."

"Well, I know they'll be okay," Brian replied. "Then again, don't listen to me. You know my taste in women."

Joe laughed at that.

"I have to go, Joe. Give me a call before you go. It was really great to work with you. I know that you're going to be so successful in law, or investigations, or criminal pursuits- whatever you choose to do. Really, it was a privilege to work with you." With a final smile, he added, "Except for when you thought I was going to kill you… or when you thought I was related to Jenna… or when you told her to look out behind her… or…"

"Whatever!" Joe replied, laughing. "You're just jealous of my deductive abilities."

"Yeah- that's it," Brian cracked, and extended his hand to Joe. The two friends shook hands warmly.

"I'll call you before I go," Joe promised. "Thanks again for everything. I'm really glad we met."

"You better call!" Brian laughed. "And treat me to dinner, since the government is paying. I think I'll order the most expensive meal."

"Charge it to me," Joe replied.

"Nope! To Uncle Sam, maybe, but not to you!" Brian shook Joe's hand again, wished him well, and bid him adieu.

Joe smiled, grateful for his new friend who really had come through to save the day. As he heard Vanessa in the hallway, he realized again how lucky he was to have her, and found himself hoping that Callie and Frank could find their way back to each other again.

xoxoxoxoxooooooooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

_Knock knock_.

Callie opened her eyes slowly at the sound of someone knocking on her door. Gingerly, she moved up, trying to disguise the grimace that she could only imagine came to her face each time that she tried to move. She pressed the button on the bed, moving it into a more upright position.

Today she was feeling much better than she had been lately. Each day she felt herself improving a little, although her back was totally unpredictable. The stupid brace that she had to wear was itchy and restrictive, and her movement was very limited. She could walk, but not very far. Some days, she felt merely sore; other days the pain was excruciating. Today was one of the better days. She couldn't wait to get back to the hotel, relax, and finally begin to get her life in order. And she knew that meant speaking to Frank, whom she had barely seen in recent days.

_Knock knock._

"Come in," she said lightly, hoping it was Frank.

It wasn't.

"Hi, there."

Callie looked up to find Dave Shaughnessey staring down at her with a smile. He had a large bouquet of flowers in his arms, and he looked as handsome as ever. Callie bit her lip, surprised. She hadn't expected to see Dave there. Still, she knew what Dave had done for her and for Frank, and she was glad to have the opportunity to thank him in person.

"Hi," she answered back, smiling weakly.

"These are for you," he said, extending the flowers towards her. "I can put them over here if you want," he added, indicating a nearby shelf.

"Thank you," Callie replied. "They're lovely. That would be nice."

Dave sat down in the chair next to Callie's bed and smiled at her. "So… how're you feeling?" he asked.

"Eh…" Callie said, trying to sound upbeat. "I'm sure I'll be okay--- thanks to you. David, I can't thank you enough for everything that you did for me—for Frank. You saved our lives." She reached out to him with her good hand and squeezed his hand. He held hers back.

"Well, I couldn't exactly leave you there," he replied. Not knowing how to continue, he said, "and I'm really glad I was able to help. I… I'd feel terrible if something happened to you."

Callie blushed. "Thank you," she said softly, again.

"You're welcome," Dave answered. "And thank you for forgiving me for acting like a fool. So…." His voice trailed off, but he continued to gaze at Callie.

"So?" she asked, unable to suppress a smile. She liked Dave, in spite of everything.

"How are things going with Frank?"

Callie was a bit taken aback. "How do you know anything is wrong?"

Dave smiled gently. "I've been here, checking on you a lot. I see he's always here, but he looks, like, sad I guess. And you don't look too happy, either."

Callie gave him a sheepish look. "Is it that obvious?" she sighed.

"Kind of—yeah," he answered.

"I don't know, Dave," she responded, as she tried to hold her emotions in check. Despite that, she felt a small lump in the back of her throat. Over the next ten minutes, she found herself gushing to Dave about all of her fears about Frank. When she was done, she closed her mouth with an audible snap and lightly groaned. _Where did all that come from? _she asked herself. Normally, she was pretty private about her relationship with Frank.

To her surprise, Dave didn't try to take advantage of the situation as he sat, quietly listening. She expected fully for Dave to tell her that Frank was a jerk for getting her into this, and for falling for Jenna. She expected him to tell her that there was no way they'd make it, and that college would hold too many temptations. She expected almost anything except for what she got.

"He loves you," Dave said quietly.

Callie looked up, shocked. She could see the awkwardness in Dave's expression, and the regret in his eyes, but she was most surprised by his words.

"What?" she stammered.

"He loves you," Dave repeated. "Callie, when I found you two, you were both in and out of consciousness. Both of you were out of it. Still, when Frank was awake, he'd cling to you, and all he kept muttering was your name, over and over. And when I see him here, the look on his face—the way he looks at you--- I KNOW that he's sincere. We all make mistakes, honey. I… I might be making one right now by being honest, but it's the truth. I think you two will work it out."

Callie felt her eyes well up with tears. "Really?" she asked, softly.

"Yeah, really," Dave sighed.

"Thanks," she said as a few tears escaped. Dave gently wiped them away.

"BUT," he said, forcing a smile, "Are you sure I can't change your mind? I'm really a nice guy, and I'd make a good boyfriend."

Callie smiled softly when she realized he was only half-joking. "I couldn't date you, Dave," she said with a small wink.

"Oh," he stuttered. "Can I ask why?"

"I could never go out with anyone prettier than myself," she teased gently and softly laughed.

Dave returned the laugh and decided he wasn't going to win. Teasing her back, he said, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful," mimicking a popular commercial.

"I'll try," Callie replied with another wink. "I realize what a difficult life it must be to have everyone admire you so," she added, rolling her eyes.

Dave smiled, but said, seriously, "Callie, you're a special girl. Really- you are. You're beautiful, not just physically, but on the inside as well. I can tell. You're just a …a… nice person," he managed. "So before I leave, I have two things to ask."

"Shoot," Callie said, the color rising in her cheeks.

"Can we be friends? You know—keep in touch? It's be great, especially if you come to college here."

"I'd like that," Callie answered honestly.

"And…well, can I… can I kiss you? Just once—as a goodbye. This time, there are no cameras around."

Callie felt her heart beating in her chest. He was so handsome…and kind… and smart… BUT, he was not Frank Hardy. And none of that mattered to her. She simply loved someone else.

"No," Callie said. Then, as not to make him feel badly, she added with a small flirtation, "I like to play hard to get." She smiled.

Dave smiled back. "You're a hard one, you know that?!" he quipped. Then, leaning over, he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Friends?"

"Definitely," Callie said with a grin.

And, with that, Dave Shaughnessey walked out of her room. Watching him go past, Callie knew that the real room that mattered was in her heart, and she'd have to talk to Frank…. And let him know her decision.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Several days later, Frank was sitting in his hotel room, feeling physically much stronger. Emotionally, however, he couldn't remember feeling so drained. While Joe and Vanessa tried to keep him company, he could only think about Callie. Finally, her parents had left her room for a few hours to get dinner, and Frank knew this was his opportunity to sit and really talk with his girlfriend. Joe and Vanessa would be back soon, so he had only a narrow window of opportunity. But what would he say? For once, he decided not to plan it out. Joe's advice long ago to trust his heart had proven to be good once. He only hoped it would be that way again.

Making his way to Callie's room he knocked on the door, and opened it when he heard Callie's voice saying, "Come in."

As soon as he did, he took a moment to look at her in silence. She was sitting in a chair looking out of the window. Other than the cast on her wrist and the bulky clothing she was wearing to hide the brace, she looked okay. Frank felt overwhelmed, the desire to hold her almost too much. But… he couldn't hold her, and he couldn't be with her anymore. The thought was oppressive.

"Frank? Hey, what's new, you?"

Callie's voice brought him back to the present. He looked at her smiling face, and gave a small smile in return. Walking over to her, he pulled up a chair and took her hand with his good one. "We look pretty pathetic, huh?" he said lightly to her, indicating his left shoulder and her left wrist.

"Speak for yourself," she teased.

Frank smiled in spite of himself. The smile quickly dissipated, though, when he thought of what he had to tell Callie.

"Frank—what's wrong?" Callie asked, deciding to be direct. They'd spent too much time being vague. Honesty was the one thing, if any, that could get them through this. Seeing Frank look at her, she continued. "I know you've sort of been avoiding me, and I'd like to know why." She squeezed his hand.

Frank was surprised at her candor, but he found it refreshing. Here was Callie, whom he'd always been able to be up front with. She wasn't playing any games, and neither would he. That much he did know.

He hadn't planned on a speech, and he didn't know what would come out of his mouth. He thought of Joe's advice again, and followed it. Turning to Callie, he said, simply, "I love you."

Callie took a deep breath and realized her heart was pounding. She was much more nervous than she thought. "I love you, too," she said softly.

"And," Frank continued, blurting everything out as he held Callie's hand tightly, "I was an idiot about Jenna and I am so sorry… more than you will ever know." Frank choked out the last words, almost unable to finish his thought.

"I forgave you for Jenna, silly," Callie said back to him. "Jenna is not the issue."

"I know," Frank whispered.

"Then what do you think the issue is?" Callie prodded. Deciding to be honest, she continued, "I really want to cry right now, and just cuddle up with you and have you tell me everything will be all right." Pausing to collect herself, she managed, "Will it be?"

Frank wiped back the tears from his eyes. He hated crying, or appearing vulnerable, especially with Callie, but he also couldn't remember being so distraught. "I… I wish I could say it would be," Frank said, seeing Callie, herself, fighting back tears. "But Cal," he went on, struggling to remain in control of his emotions, and realizing that he was losing the battle, "I don't know if we can be together anymore." Uttering those words were one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do.

Callie was crying freely now. "Why? Because of Jenna?"

"Callie, don't cry," Frank pleaded with her, blinking back his own tears.

"Frank," she said, pulling back her hand, "If I was physically able to storm off right now, I would… after I gave you a huge slap! You're being impossible!"

Frank was startled. "Wha… what do you mean?" he asked, more in surprise than sadness.

Callie wiped away her tears. "Okay, fine," she said resolutely. "Give me three reasons why we should break up if you really love me. If they're satisfactory, I'll let you do it."

She said it so seriously that Frank had to smile. He noticed that Callie had just the faintest trace of a smile, herself.

"You'll LET me?" he had to ask, incredulously. "I didn't know I needed your permission to break up," he finished, shaking his head and smiling at the lunacy of the whole situation.

"Well, you do," Callie said, keeping a straight face.

"Um, okay."

"I'm waiting."

Frank stumbled on his words. "I… I was a jerk with Jenna."

"Yeah, and I forgave you. Been there, done that, move on."

By now, Frank was almost laughing. The heartbreak he had been feeling for the past few weeks seemed trite at the moment. How on earth had Callie managed to do that?! She was unbelievable.

He decided to be serious. "Because, baby… whenever you're around me… things seem to happen to you." His eyes clouded over, and he had to look away. "I almost lost you… and this isn't the first time that you've been hurt on one of our cases. It comes with the line of work. And I'd rather give you up and see you safe than endanger you any more."

There. He had said it. He expected Callie to either start crying, or to try and comfort him. He did NOT expect her response.

"Not good enough," she said flippantly, brushing him off. "Unless you created cancer, bad guys, or guns, I don't see how you're responsible for anything. Move on."

Frank stared at her in disbelief. She had just tossed aside what had been gnawing at his heart for all this time. "You've GOT to be kidding me," was all he could manage.

"I'm not. Number three better be really good, or else you're stuck with me," Callie said, matter of factly.

"Callie, I'm serious about what I just said. Honey, I mean it. I can't endanger you anymore." He didn't know how else to make his point.

"And I was serious, too, that that's a lame reason. I don't see you holding a gun to my head forcing me to be with you. I think the rewards far outweigh the risks."

Finally, Frank gave in. Callie had a way of always reassuring him and calming him down. As he looked at her, he realized that he, for once, really wanted to be selfish. He'd kill himself protecting her, but he DID want her. And he didn't know if he could give her up. Finally, he said the last thing he had been dreading.

"We're going to college."

"And?" Callie asked. "I hope there's more to it than that because this is your last reason."

He couldn't believe how serious she was being. Only Callie could keep a straight face at a time like this. No—that wasn't true. Joe could do it, too.

"You said that you're not sure it could work," he said to her.

"Yup- and I meant that," Callie said with a sigh. "You hit on a good reason for once."

"Oh," Frank stammered.

"Because, Frank--- Jenna is only one of a long line of girls who will be after you. I don't want to tie you down. Me? I kind of like being tied to you," she blushed. "But I'm willing to give you the space and time to come to your own conclusions about… your future. We've been together a long time. I don't want you ever to regret that you spent your youth with the wrong person." Callie had to stop. She hadn't realized how the truth would hurt, and she didn't want Frank to see her cry again.

"I want to be with YOU," Frank said, forcefully, reaching out to her and turning her face to him.

"But…"

"Give me three reasons why I shouldn't be," he said gently, his eyes showing his concern as he teased her.

"Really?" she said at last, her voice barely a whisper.

"Really," Frank replied, and leaned over to kiss her. "Besides," he added after a few minutes, "we can't break up."

"Why?" Callie asked, feeling enormously relieved, as Frank did.

"You forgot already? You won't let me break up with you," he responded, his dark eyes twinkling.

"Oh, yeah," Callie said with a laugh, as she kissed Frank again.

After a little while, the couple finally broke apart.

"Frank? There is one thing I'd like to show you, then," she said, clinging to Frank's hand. Despite her pain, she'd never felt so happy in her life. If she and Frank could get through this, then she had a strong feeling they could make it through anything.

"Anything," Frank said, touching her cheek.

"If you could check in my luggage for a minute, I need you to help me make a decision about something."

Perplexed, Frank responded, "Okay," and went o get Callie's bag. With one arm in a sling, maneuvering was rather difficult, but he managed, bringing the bag to Callie's chair.

"Can you get the envelope out?" she asked him, and Frank nodded. Reaching into her luggage, he pulled out a large manila envelope. "This one?"

Callie nodded, and took the envelope from Frank. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Well, here's the list of colleges I was accepted to." She reached into the envelope and pulled out about seven smaller white envelopes. "Let me read them to you. Tell me what you think."

Frank nodded, and said reassuringly to her, "No matter where you go, we'll make it work."

Callie smiled at him, and handed him the envelopes, one by one. "You choose."

"What?" Frank asked her. "I can't choose your college! That's a big decision!"

Callie met his eyes. "Chose one. This way, I can always say it was up to fate what happened."

"Oh, Callie…" Frank began. "I can't do that."

"Do it," she insisted.

Shaking his head at his girlfriend, he began to flip through the envelopes. This was crazy. He kept glancing at Callie. Why would she have him do this? With a sigh, he flipped through the names. _Georgetown. Stanford. American. Boston College. NYU._

And then he knew why she had asked him as he felt a smile take over his face.

"I choose this one," he said to her, handing her an envelope.

Looking at it through tear-filled eyes, Callie smiled. "That was my first choice, too."

At that moment, Joe and Vanessa burst through the door, laughing. They stopped when they saw the smiles on Frank and Callie's faces.

"What's going on?" Joe asked.

"Callie picked out a college," Frank said, simply.

"Oh, yeah?" Joe asked, pleased that Callie and Frank actually looked happy together. "Where are you going, Cal?" he asked of her.

Looking at each other, Frank and Callie said, simultaneously, "Princeton."

Joe felt himself grinning from ear to ear, and he saw that Vanessa was doing the same.

"Well, go get 'em, _Tigers,_" Joe quipped, playing on the name of the Princeton team.

Groaning at Joe's humor, the four teens laughed, knowing that, finally, everything would be okay.


End file.
